Visit-Montenegro.com : Fulfilling the Vows of Ancestors

Visit-Montenegro.com : Fulfilling the Vows of Ancestors

Traditional “Fashinada” Event in Kotor:

Kotor – Traditional event in Kotor – “Fashinada” – which celebrates the finding of the painting of the Mother of God on the rock and the beginning of building of the island and the Church of the Lady of the Rock started yesterday.

Sixth Sailing Race “Fashinada Cup” also took place, with some 30 sailing boats from Montenegro, Serbia and Croatia competing.

This race, which traditionally takes place at town of Perast are Montenegro’s Sailing Association, club “Lahor” from Kotor and the Society of Perast’s Friends.

According to the legend, fishermen from Perast have found an icon of the Mother of God with Christ on a rock in the sea. This icon is now placed at the main altar of the church. The church is on the artificial island, which had been built by locals around this rock. The basis for the island had been built with the sinking of ships and with stones and other material brought from Perast with small boats.

Since then, there is an unwritten vow for Perast’s seamen: ahead of every departure, one has to sink new stones on the coast of the island, in order to strengthen the foundation for the temple of town’s patron saint.

The name of this event originates in Italian word “fascia”, which means the rope. Name has to do with the fact that small boats, decorated with globeflowers and filled with stones, are tied to one another with ropes, thus creating a convoy.

Only men are allowed to these boats and they are all ancestors of famous seamen, from renowned Perast’s families. Women are greeting the convoy from the shore.

At the twilight of 22 July each year, boats with oars, floating with the sound of local music, sail in the direction of the island, in order to fulfill the vows of the ancestors and place stones to the island which had been built back in 15th century when the original church had also been built. This church grew with the island.

Existing church was built in 1630 and stands as one the most significant monuments in entire Boka Bay.

(23 July 2008)

By: I.K.