ELEVATE - jul

80 | jadran u fokusu / adriatic in focus koji opslužuje Gospu i obavlja služ- bu na Svetom Đorđu, kaže mi da je Gospamnoge želje uslišila i ispunila. Ali vrh stene treba pipnuti i čvrstom verom, a ne samo rukom. – Darovi su Gospini najveće taj- ne ovogmesta. Ljudi svaštamole i za sve se zahvaljuju. Kad Gospa usliši molbe, ljudi se vraćaju da joj se za- hvale. Lepo je što nešto donesu, ali je Gospi najdraže dobro srce − kaže donSrećko, koji na ovomostrvu ven- čava mladence iz celog sveta. Jedi- ni je uslov da je bar jedan supružnik katoličke vere, a drugi može biti bi- lo koje. Don Srećku ne smeta. Pozo- vete, zakažete i obavežete se na več- nu ljubav na ovomčarobnommestu. Simpatični opat kaže da je do- bro vreme da se svrati u Boku oko 22. jula jer je tada slavlje koje Bokelji nazivaju fašinada. Pred zalazak sun- ca barke plove od Perasta ka Gos- pi, noseći kamenje da ojačaju ostr- vo. Ova manifestacija dobila je ime po italijanskoj reči fascia, što zna- či traka ili povez, a tako je nazvana jer su barke međusobno povezane i okićene jablanovimgranama. Kad stignu na odredište, zvona sva zvo- na, a brodići prave prsten oko Gos- pe od škrpjela simbolizujući na taj način povezanost sa Bogorodicom. Kamenje se baca u more, pevaju se ljubavne pesme, održavaju se kon- certi, prave izložbe... – Fešta ima tradiciju dugu goto- vo 600 godina, koja nikada nije pre- kidana. To je običaj koji naMeditera- nu nigde ne možete videti i doživeti – kaže don Srećko. thathadalreadysentitsmentodobattleelse- where.Inordertopreservethegreatesttreas- ures,theiconoftheVirginMarywastransferred to themainland, to the churchof St. Nicholas, whererefugewasalsotakenbythefewpeople – women and children – who had remained alive in Perast that day. And yet the town did not fall, neither on that day nor at any time, under Ottoman rule.That miracle, which saw a few locals defeat amuch stronger enemy, is attributed to Our Lady of the Rocks, which is why she is carried to the church in Perast and honoured every year on 15th May. That’s the only day when this icon leaves her rock. And behind the altar on which the icon stands there is a narrow passage that cannot be seen at all. If they hadn’t told us, wewould even have known it was there. With backs to the wall you walk behind the icon, squatting slowly as it’s quite narrow, andpull your hand intoahole,filledwithfaiththatsomethingback therewon’tbiteitoff.Jokingaside,Ididn’tfeel indifferentlyaboutit,butIwishedwholeheart- edly andwithmy hand in that hole I touched thetopoftherockuponwhichthechurchwas built.Acompletelyindescribablefeeling!Don SrećkoMajić, the abbot who serves Our Lady andperformsservicesontheisletofSt.George, tells me that Our Lady has heard and fulfilled many wishes. But the tip of the rock should be touched by firm faith, and not just a hand. -The gifts of Our Lady are the biggest se- cretsofthisplace.Peopleprayforallsortsand givethanksforeverything.Whentheywhisper a request toOur Lady, people return to thank her. It’s nice to bring something, but for Our Ladythedearestgift isagoodheart,saysDon Srećko,whohaswedcouplesfromaroundthe worldonthis island.Theonlycondition isthat atleastoneoftheintendedspousesisCatholic, while the other can be a follower of any faith. DonSrećkodoesnotmind.Call,scheduleand commit to eternal love in this magical place. This affable abbot says that a good time to visit the Bay of Kotor is around 22 nd July, be- cause it is then that residents of Kotor Bay cel- ebrate the custom known as fašinada. Before sunset small wooden boats sail fromPerast to Our Lady of the Rocks, carrying stones to re- inforce the islet. This event is named after the Italianword“fascia”,meaningbandorstrip,be- causetheboatsaretiedtogetheranddecorat- ed with black poplar branches. When they all arrive at their destination, all the bells toll and the boats form a ring around Our Lady of the Rocks, thus symbolising their connectionwith theVirginMary.Stonesarethrownintothesea, love songs are sung, concerts are performed, exhibitions are staged etc. -This festival has an almost 600-year-old traditionthathasneverbeeninterrupted.This is a tradition that cannot be seen or experi- enced anywhere else in the Mediterranean, explains Don Srećko. GOBLENKAONIJEDANDRUGI Jedna je Peraštanka 25 godina vezla goblen Bogorodici moleći se da njenog dragog sa- čuva na dugim plovidbama. Jacinta Kunić Mi- jović utkala je u taj rad i svoju kosu, zlatnu u mladosti i srebrnu u starosti. Ova je žena us- pela da izveze po 700 uboda iglom na jed- nom cm 2 . Kada je Gospi poklonila goblen 1828, bila je već slepa. TAPESTRYLIKENOOTHER One local lady from Perast spent 25 years em- broidering a tapestry of the Virgin, praying that her loved one be protected on all of his voyages. Jacinta Kunić-Mijović also wove into that work her own hairs – golden in her youth, silver in her old age. This woman managed to make 700 needle pricks per square centime- tre. It is believed that in 1828, when she pre- sented this gift, she had already gone blind.