From September 1 to 6, 2024, the Bigorski Monastery hosted a significant cultural and academic event—the fifth Mavrorekanska Summer School. This school is dedicated to exploring the spirit of Mijač art and culture and focuses on the works of one of the greatest Macedonian iconographers, Dicho Zograf.
Under the auspices of the Cvetan Grozdanov Institute of the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts (MANU), the school was organized with the support of the citizens’ association Brzovec from the village of Tresonche, Municipality of Mavrovo and Rostuše, and with the blessing of the Elder of the Bigorski Monastery, Bishop Parthenios of Antania. This year’s program included scholarly and educational sessions focused on the art, architecture, and spiritual heritage of the Mijak region, held at various locations throughout the region, primarily at Bigorski Monastery.
The formal opening took place on September 1 in the church of St. Peter and Paul in Tresonche. Attendees had the opportunity to witness the launch of the Anthology of Works “In the Footsteps of Dicho Zograf”, presented by Prof. Dr. Nenad Makujevic. In his address, Makujevic emphasized that this second edition of the Anthology further solidifies the value of the research related to Dicho Zograf’s work, providing additional scholarly context to his artistic influence and significance. The audience also heard remarks from the Mayor of Mavrovo and Rostuše, Mr. Medat Kurtoski, followed by a memorial service for the Debar-Mijak iconographers, who left an indelible mark on Macedonian and world art.
In the following days, the evening sessions at Bigorski Monastery featured lectures by renowned scholars, including Dr. Ljupcho S. Risteski, Dr. Sasho Cvetkovski, Dr. Nenad Makujevic, and Dr. Ivana Zhenarju Rajovic. Topics discussed included the cultural and historical characteristics of the Mijak region, Dicho Zograf’s iconography, his legacy, and the role of Mijak iconographers in Macedonian and Balkan art.
In addition to the scholarly sessions, participants visited the exhibition dedicated to the carved iconostasis by Petre Filipovski Garkata in the church of The Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos in Gari, as well as important cultural and historical monuments in the region, including the churches of St. Great Martyr George in Lazaropole and St. Achillius of Larissa in Trebishte. These visits were accompanied by expert guidance and discussions on the architectural and artistic values of these sacred temples and monuments.
The school concluded on September 6 with a final session, once again emphasizing the importance of preserving and promoting the spiritual and cultural heritage of the Mijak region. The Dicho Zograf Cultural Center, whose full completion is expected by the end of the year, remains a key platform for researching and presenting this unique heritage.
This event not only attracted scholars and artists from the region but also highlighted the significance of the Mijak region and Bigorski Monastery as its center, serving as one of the pillars of our cultural history, and underscoring the need to preserve and promote the region’s rich spiritual heritage.
List of Topics from the Evening Sessions:
- Ethnosymbolic and Cultural Characteristics of Reka and the Mijak Region – Dr. Ljupcho S. Risteski
- The Icons of Dicho Zograf in the Church of St. Spas in Dragovo – Dr. Sasho Cvetkovski
- The Work of Dimitrije Avramović in the Patriarchate of Serbia – Dr. Nenad Makujevic
- The Works of Iconographers Antiochios Konstantinopoulos in Kosovo and Metohija – Dr. Ivana Zhenarju Rajovic
- Charian Graphical Icons from the Churches in Sirmium – Mr. Valij Georgiev Likin
- The Work of the Iconographic School of Lidzanos with Monuments in Krumovo – Boris Markovski
- The Icons of Iconographer Docame Naicho Janos in Triconch Churches – Ms. Katerina Rosikopoulos
- Iconography of the Iconostasis in the Church of St. Demetrius in Skopje – Maja Basarovska
- An Overview of Iconography in the Church of the Transfiguration in Prilep – Mr. Darko Nikolovski
- Icons in the Sacred Landscape of the Balkans in the 19th Century – Dr. Svetlana Smolchic Makujevic
