A cloudy day at St. Stefan Monastery near Vranje, Serbia

After spending some time in Greece, we headed to Vranje, where we stayed for a few days and enjoyed a slower pace and some time with family. One cloudy afternoon, my grandfather, my brother, my children and I decided to take a little drive together. It had started to rain lightly, but we didn't mind. We simply wanted to get out, explore the surroundings and see something interesting along the way. That is how we ended up visiting the Monastery of St. Stephen the Protomartyr and Archdeacon, located above the village of Gornje Žapsko, about 20 kilometers southeast of Vranje.

The monastery has a long and fascinating history. Little is known about its original founders, but we learned there that the church stands on the foundations of an older medieval church. It was rebuilt in the middle of the 19th century.

The monastery also played an important role in the area before the liberation of Vranje in 1878 and later housed a religious-teaching school. Today, what stays with you is the feeling of the place.

The monastery was beautifully kept, with lovely flowers blooming in front of the church. Everything felt peaceful and cared for.

We went inside and looked at the icons and interiors, it was very quiet...

We didn't even notice the cloudy sky and occasional drops of rain while we were enjoying that environment.

Behind the monastery is a large estate where the land is cultivated and many crops are grown. I just took a look and we continued on our way...

Sometimes, you don't need a big adventure. A quiet road, a beautiful old monastery, a few drops of rain and the people you love are more than enough.

Thank you for reading.

Jelena