St. Demetrius Monastery: In the Granitic Embrace of Pelagonia

 

From a Former Women’s Monastery to a Modern Community

The monastic tradition in this part of Pelagonia has very deep roots.

St. Demetrius Monastery (Macedonian: Манастир „Св. Димитриј“ - Селце), also known as the Old Selce Monastery, was established as a historic place of retreat and prayer, nestled at the foot of quiet, rocky slopes. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, a women’s monastery operated here, where the nuns led a modest life focused on work and contemplation, while also serving as a spiritual anchor for the residents of surrounding villages.

Although time has changed the structure of community life, the monastery has retained its warm, nurturing, and homely character to this day. The tradition of careful stewardship is continued by the nun who looks after the monastery, welcoming arrivals with an open heart, offering a glass of cool water and a natural ease of being within this space. This place still beats with the living pulse of the local community – the residents of Prilep and the village of Selce regularly help maintain it, care for the surroundings, and gather here during important holidays and social gatherings.

The monastery is situated on the slope of a wooded, rocky hillside, in the very heart of the granite mountains, just about three kilometres outside Prilep, right next to the village of Selce. I visited it right at the beginning of my stay in this region. I encountered remarkable hospitality there from the nun caring for the monastery, who with pure kindness offered me water when I declined coffee, and gave me complete freedom to take photographs. This is a space strongly connected to the people who continually support it and create a place of shared gatherings within it. The rocky scenery surrounding the monastery supports with its strong, ancient, and steady energy — being in these mountains is always a deeply positive and empowering experience for me.

A few days ago, I ventured into these surroundings for a second time. During my hike, I ascended considerably higher than the monastery location itself, reaching almost the peaks surrounding this part of the Pelagonia valley. From that elevation, a multitude of new, expansive views opened up, although behind the peaks that I did not manage to climb yet, the promise of mystery still remained.

I feel immense joy in being in Prilep and under the steady influence of the beauty and stable energy of the local landscapes. The city is surrounded by mountain ranges that form the shape of a gentle horseshoe, leaving an open space and not closing the full circle. I have already visited four unique points of this granite horseshoe, and I already have my next target in mind.

Photos : https://photos.app.goo.gl/v9p8uQiivhyfKPCW7

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