Badija Monastery

 The island of Badija is home to a Franciscan Monastery.  Directly In front of the island is a well known and popular anchorage that entices with perfect views of the monastery.   So we thought it might be a nice place to spend a day or two.  But its not just sailors looking for a nice anchorage that visit.  Tourists from the nearby main island of Korcula visit the island as well.  As such it ends up being a busy little spot with anchored boats and taxi boats buzzing all around.

Badija Monastery

The Monastery itself has a long and complicated history and was returned to the Franciscan Order of Monks fairly recently.  For a modest fee you can visit the Church, but only the Church.  The remainder of the Monastery is not open to the public.  While there are no longer monks that reside at the Monastery full time it is still used for "spiritual retreats" and other functions.

Cloister of the Monastery

The grounds of the Monastery however are open to the public, there is actually a gravel path that goes all the way around the island which makes for a nice walk.  On the grounds lie an orchard, gardens and even some very friendly deer.  These deer are so tame that they walk right up to you looking for a handout.  

Friendly deer

 There is also a little beach and a cafe on the island.  It seemed a bit incongruous to see women in tiny little bikinis lounging at a beach in front of a Monastery!  But no-one seemed to bat an eye at the disparate scenes (except us).  We avoided the beach but did go in to visit the Church.  

The Cloister

Construction of the Church of Our Lady of Mercy started in 1483.  The portal has a statue of the Madonna and Child and if you look closely you will notice that baby Jesus is missing his head.  Apparently, a member of the Communist Party shot off the head of the baby Jesus statue with a rifle.  Something to be proud of later in life 😞.  

Portal to the Church

Shooting the head off the baby Jesus statue was not the only heinous act.  Over the centuries the Monastery and Church have been set on fire, plundered and at various times both intentionally and unintentionally destroyed.  Yet it stands today and is back in the hands of the Franciscan Order.

Church of Our Lady of Mercy

 

Church of Our Lady of Mercy

 Next to the Old Church another Chapel was constructed.  The Chapel of the Holy Cross was built to house a magnificent wooden cross that was the object of many pilgrimages.  The Cross is no longer there as during the Communist period it was relocated to another island where it remains.  But the Chapel is still here and is magnificent even without the Cross.

Chapel of the Holy Cross

 

The Chapel of the Holy Cross is known now for its blue and white marble altar.  It is all beautiful - the Old Church, the Chapel and the Cloister.  We were very grateful to be able to visit and spend the night anchored by the Monastery.  But the next day we decided to move on.  Its a beautiful but crowded place.

Looking out into the Cloister

 

So we are headed back to an anchorage called Sipanska Luka on the island of Sipan.  Slowly making our way back to Dubrovnik.
 

Badija Monastery