Our Lady of the Rocks
Our Lady of the Rocks or as the locals call it „Gospa od Skrpjela“ is an island located in Boka bay and one of the most beautiful places in Montenegro. „Skrpjela“ is the old name for the sea-perch, the reef. This unusual island was created as a result of centuries-old intertwining of legend and tradition, with the wholehearted help of residents of Perast and other Boka cities. Legend has it that on 22.07.1452. sailors found the icon of the Virgin with a child on a rock in the middle of the sea. Since that day, it has become a tradition that, upon returning from a successful voyage, the seafarers lay stones along the shore of Our Lady of the Rocks.
For decades before going on long voyages, the seafarers made sure to visit this sanctuary and pray before the miraculous icon for a good sail wind and calm sea. It was a whole ritual attended by all the members of their families and the priests, in addition to the sailors preparing for the trip. In gratitude, the sailors were leaving votive plaques in the church which are still exposed today. In addition to votive plaques, this church also hides the sad story of Jacinta Kunic, a beautiful young lady, who has been waiting for her beloved for 25 years and embroidered with the stitch the upper part of the altar of Our Lady that is still preserved today, and is considered a one of a kind of attraction because one part of it was made of the hair of an unhappy girl. The church contains a whole range of different items, all of them were donated as a thank you to Our Lady of the Rocks by seafarers for keeping them safe when traveling in distant seas.
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