(Photo: Screenshot/Televizija 5 Užice)
The picturesque village of Gonje, near Sjenice, Serbia, is the setting for a remarkable project. A new temple is being built here, the first in this area in over 300 years. But what makes this building special is the fact that not only Serbs but also Muslims participate in it – both in the work itself and through their donations.
Gonje is known for its multi-ethnic community and good relations between neighbors. This harmony is also reflected in the joint effort to build the temple. After the Eparchy of Mileseva approved the construction of the temple in the walls of the 13th century church of Zvonare in Pavlice, Bosnians, in addition to Serbs, also participated in its construction.
“In the spring of 2020 we started laying the foundations of the church and continued in 2022, as everything was interrupted in 2021 by Corona and the lack of materials,” explained Goran Brajevic, construction manager. But in addition to the pandemic and the lack of materials, there is another challenge: money.
“In 2020, the local government helped the most by investing in the church’s foundations, paid for the excavation of land, the water supply… and there was also help from companies in Novi Pazar, Raska and the state president. But what we can praise most is that our work is also carried out by Muslims. The Serbs are doing well, they are building their own church, but there is also a team of Muslims working. Although we also have many Muslim donors, both in money and construction materials,” Brajevic added.
The meaning of the construction of the temple goes beyond the religious dimension. “The construction of this building is very important for the village, for the residents, for all the people who live in or pass through the village. People come here from all directions, so it’s good that we have a church. Now the village is poor, people cannot do everything themselves”, emphasized Ljubinko Colovic, one of the residents.
The construction of this Orthodox temple in the village of Gonje is a sign of hope and unity. He shows that despite all the challenges, history and its positive values should not be abandoned. They must be taken care of for a better and more beautiful future. And the construction of this temple will certainly contribute to this.
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