Monastery of the Most Holy Virgin Eleusa (Tenderness) – Света Богородица Елуса, (Sveta Bogorodica Eleusa) in the village of Veljuša (Вељуша, Veljusha) – Veljushki Monastery (Вељушки манастир, Veljushki Manastir)
This church & monastery dedicated to St. Mary Eleussa, built in 1080 A.D., is located in the village of Veljusha (село Вељуша) about seven kilometers northwest of the town of Strumica (Струмица). An inscription above the entrance to the church documents that in 1080 A.D. Manuil the Monk renovated this church.1
The church is famous and frequently visited for its frescoes inside the church that were painted in the 11th & 12th centuries. The frescoes in the chapel and the conchae are from the 11th century when the church was originally built and those on the exo-narthex and the porch were painted in the 12th century. Also very unique to the church is its marble iconostasis and the remaining fragments of the original mosaic floor. 1
We visited this blessed church in its beautiful setting as part of a weekend trip to the Strumica area where we also had the pleasure of visiting the St. Leontius Monastery in Vodocha and the St. Michael Monastery in Berovo.
Google Map
- Kornakov, Dimitar. Macedonian Monasteries. Matica Makedonska, Skopje 1981, pp. 180 – 186.