While we were thinking how to start, we realized how that actually isn’t much important. Throughout our stories you will figure out by yourself how everything began.
It’s the best to just start with a story and this day which isn’t so easy to describe.
We hope that our stories will present you these paths on right way as well as happiness and joy fulfilling them.
One more thing we still hope is that people will draw a lesson from all of it, which is to take off the shackles of comfort and slavery to no longer be seen as freedom.
„Сунце сија небеса горе.
Животиња се свака буди,
буди се земља, буде се људи.
Истрчах напоље да видим боље,
а небо се грли са никшићким пољем.
Позвах брата да изађе,
да види и осјети све ово,
а он већ у пољу сједи,
пише пјесму слово по слово.
Ајде брате, кад већ знаш да пишеш,
пошаљи молбу Богу,
да нам данас уреди, пут ка Острогу.“
(Одломак из пјесме „Пут ка Острогу“ Пјесма је дјелимично описала почетак, а она је настајала током пута до Манастира.)
The road was thorny this time, we decided not to go the hiking trail right away. We went along the surrounding road into the forest and looked for a hiking trail that leads to the upper monastery Ostrog.
Marinko was fascinated but also losing breath from tiredness. Dragutin was tirelessly walking, turning from main road as he was amazed by caves and houses.
– Just imagine brother how people lived in woods without phones, without cars, without most of modern things which humans use today. Just think about it, and way they were building houses… They were bringing stone after stone for miles.
Dragutin was observing and Marinko was just confirming it all, amazed by those details at the same time.
When we noticed house near the trail, we came by to say ‘‘Hi’’ and greet people who live there. Goats we met on road were real attraction so we decided to stay with them until shepherd arrives. Meanwhile one of them decided to attack us but in the end, luckily, he restrained himself. He figured out we were joking with him.
Shepherd came and he was persistently calling us to come inside his home, but time was passing so we decided to move on.
Walking through nature we found a long-sought trail, on which beginning there was a spring.
Dog was following us through forest happily waving with tail. His appearance and look showed us that this is going to be special pilgrimage, and it was, indeed, becoming more and more beautiful.
Walking further along the paths of joy, we were glorifying God with spiritual songs. We were grateful because He accepted our prayers and constantly was creating and improving our small but big journey. We admired the naturally made trail, which spoke of its beauties and how life is not just about a pair of banknotes or some fast cars.
Looking around we saw a place we couldn’t pass, which kept us there for a while. Right spot for a lunch. Dry leaves and branches took care of the fire that dried our T-shirts. Improvised bench and table we made gave impression like we were sitting in some fancy restaurant. Fish, onion and bread adorned our beautiful lunch.
Beauty of this place required us to stay, but dark as well as evening prayers in monastery called us to come as soon as possible. We were moving fast to arrive on time but we couldn’t resist admiring these landscapes.
We couldn’t avoid stopping by the cave where the relics of St. Basil of Ostrog were hidden during difficult times.
We were running to arrive at the beginning of evening prayers. Soon, we reached the monastery and in front of it there were many people.
– Access quickly because evening prayers are starting now. – Among multitude of people, churchman said.
We were very happy because we were able to come, bow down and thank the Saint for giving us opportunity to see all that natural beauty, and experience it in the most beautiful way that the shrine of Ostrog can be experienced.
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Words cannot easily describe our experience from this pilgrimage. We hope that people will ask themselves why aren’t we sitting in cafeterias and playing games, and when they take a look at our stories, they will find an answer.
This is just one of the many and amazing stories that were created along the paths of joy to monastery Ostrog.