Manastir Konce, radovisko

About 20 kilometers south from the city of Radoviš, along the winding road that cuts through fertile fields, that looked from above seam like a stretched cloth for a painting, across the variegated meadows decorated with red poppy flowers, you will reach the village of Konce. Here, in this village, the picturesque nature and peaceful peasant life have obliged the kind countryman-tobacco producer, who, during his hours of rest, is always fully opened to visitors and prepared and minded to invite you to his home and talk about the well-known village monastery, as well as about the village itself.

The church St. Stefan, monastery Konce, 14th century

Narrating the stories of his ancestors, he will tell you that the village got its name as a result of the big and beautiful night-quarters that used to exist around the monastery church. In the big yard enclosed with a fence, under the thick, cool shadow of the two-centuries old maple-tree and the old and magnificent crowns of walnut-trees, besides the drinking-fountain with cold water, preserved to the present day, are the church of Saint Stefan, the pirg-tower that is damaged to a large extent, as well as some night-quarters built in more recent history. The beauty and mysticalness of the monastery are further supplemented by the story about Kantakuzina, daughter of tyrant Gurge, who spent the last years of her life in the monastery, and abided in the tower next to the church. Since the tower, or the pirg as the villagers call it, did not have an entrance on the outside, Kanatkuzina had to enter and exit the tower through an underground tunnel that led from beneath the church altar to the tower. Her grave is also located very near to the pirg-tower.

The exact date of construction of the church is unknown. However, the fact remains that it has been built prior to the year 1366, since that was the year when the monastery was contributed to Hilandar, as a result of a hrisovulja (instrument) issued by the emperor Dusan. Its constructor or maybe restorer was the well-known duke Nikola Stanjevic.

At present, the largest portion of the interior of this church, shaped like an inscribed cross with a dome on top of an octagonal drum, is covered with mortar and whitewashed, and only a small part of the original fresco-art has been preserved. The author of all icons on the iconostas is fresco-artist Dimitar Andonov Papradiski.

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