MANASTIR SVETI JOAKIM OSOGOVSKI

In the proximity of the town of Kriva Palanka, on the north-east slopes of the mountains of Osogovo, nested in-between the thick and green forest, elevated at 825 meters above see level, the monastery of St.Joakim Osogovski counts its centuries.
	Monastery churches St. Joakim Osogovski and Sv. Bogorodica (Holy Mother of God)

It offers the possibility to feel how past and history live together in the present, it plunders with its spiritual, architectural and artistic esthetics and values.

The monastery complex also includes the two temples of St. Joakim Osogovski (the Large monastery church) and Holy Mother of God (the Small monastery church), the main three-story quarters, the bell-tower with the collective grave at its foot, the so-called passable building, tourist building, summer garden and kitchen, tile-building or watch-house, the newly constructed inn and the residence of the Head of the Macedonian orthodox church.

According to the hagiography of St. Joakim Osogovski, the history of the monastery begins in the 12th century, in the period of the Byzantine emperor Manojlo Komnen (1143-1180). According to this information, the monastery was established by the priest Theodor from Ovche Pole, who, after his wife has passed away, decided to enter a monastic order. Under his monk name of Teofan he is mentioned as the constructor of the very first temple, where he brought and buried saint’s relics. The monastery was called Sarandopor, according to the area where it was built, a name that means Forty dales in translation, and dedicated to the migrator hermit St. Joakim Osogovski, who spent his ascetic life in a cave located in its proximity, at the locality of Babin Dol.

After it was raised, the monastery has always attracted lots of attention, and it was visited by many important historical persons. Stevan Dechanski and the Turkish sultan Mehmed II amongst others.

Very often throughout time, it was the subject of economy crises, demolished by an earthquake in 1585, and in the 17th century, after the establishment of the city of Kriva Palanka, it became a very important religious, cultural and educational center for monks from different areas, but also for people in this region.

After the 18th century, which is noted as its hardest period, the 19th century brought changes for the better. The respected tradesman Hadzi Stefan Beglikchija managed to get an approval by the sultan to build a new temple that replaced the old damaged religious object.

The new church was built in the period from 1847 to 1851, and it was financed by guilds, tradesmen and other people from the region of Kriva Palanka.

The famous and renown Macedonian constructor Andrej Damjanov was in charge of its construction, and with his talent and sense for original beauty, managed to create a true artistic creation.

The St. Joakim Osogovski church is a three-nave basilica, with twelve domes (seven small and five larger ones), built from chipped stone brought from the village of Rankovci, in the locality of Kamnesh. The entrance is on its west side, and to the right, in the foot of the western wall, is the location of the grave with the relics of the saint to whom the church was dedicated to. There are six stone pillars inside the church, two for each of the naves, and light comes in through windows in two rows.

In 1884, the fresco painting of the temple begun, and it was done by several well-known artists like Avram Dichov, Miron Iliev and Grigorie Petrovich from Tresonche. They worked on the western wall, western dome of the middle nave and parts of the south and north wall. Later on, Dimitar Andonov Papradishki took over, who decorated the temple with his own mastery creations and fresco-art. The composition "The sermon of St. Paul" is especially noticeable, whereas he painted the national costume of Kriva Palanka, as well as the portrait of St. Joakim Osogovski, painted above the main entrance.

After it was damaged by a fallen rock in 1909, the church was renovated, while the artistic and technical design for the iconostas were provided by Dimitrie Andonov, who is also the author of the majority of icons at the iconostas.

The small monastery church of Holy Mother of God was renovated in the 14th century. It has a cross-shaped base and three-sided apse and the porch. It is made of chipped stone and bricks, and it was renovated, repaired and annexes were built several times in the past. It is presumed that the old layer of fresco-art originates from the time before it was renovated in the 14th century. In the 19th century, Dimitar Andonov Papradishki painted the narthex, proscenium and the conch of the apse. He is also the author of some iconostas icons. During the renovation, one of the facades was reconstructed, the old and non-proportional big dome above the central part was replaced with a new one, and the roof was covered with copper and tiles.

In the history of Macedonian culture, the monastery of St. Joakim Osogovski has been noted as the place where, according to an oral report, Joakim Krchovski used to reside and work, a priest and religious teacher, Macedonian historical figure and founder of the modern Macedonian literature in the 19th century.

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