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situated on the right bank of Velika Morava, and along with seven
other monasteries, jointly represents Resava’s “Holy Mountain”.
These monasteries are Tomic, Jakovic, Ivkovic, Dobres, Devesine,
Zlatenac and Bukovica.
Last four monasteries belong to the area of the village Glozane.
Bukovica, Zlatenac and Dobres are ruling monasteries. Dobres
monastery has been restored, and can be found 1.8 km southeast of
the monastery Milkovo. Only some vestiges remain of Devesine
monastery.
Monastery Milkovo was formerly known as Bukovica and today’s name
was acquired only in the second half of the 18th century. Founders
of Bukovica monastery are unknown, but the earliest written document
related to the monastery is dated 1347. In the same year, prince
Lazar, with his charter, handed out Bukovica under the authority of
the Ravanica monastery. Among others, Bukovica is also mentioned as
“The ford next to Glozane on the river Morava”.
There are those who believe that Prince Stefan Lazarevic erected
Bukovica, but it is more a speculation and less a historical fact.
There are historical records that mention monastery Bukovica as the
transcription-reproducing school, approximately in the 1420’s.
After the defeat of Serbia, the Turks made a population census in
1467 mentioning the existence of “the Entry into the Temple of the
Most-Holy Mother of God” monastery and the village Glozane. Without
doubt, the reference is to the monastery Bukovica.
During the Turk occupation, in the 16th and 17th century, there are
no written records mentioning the monastery.
Through the Austrian domination of Serbia, one of geographical maps
illustrates monastery Bukovica.
It is believed that later, during the new occupation of Turks, the
monastery was damaged and burned.
In 1787, the monastery was rebuilt by Milko Tomic, a merchant from
Glozane, who lived there in his later years, and where he was
buried. Later on, the monastery was named after him.
From 1787 monastery Milkovo served as a link for the uprising Serbs
of Koce Andjelkovic (The Kocina Krajina rebellion – Frajkors' war).
In 1793, the Turks set up the “knjaz” of Resava (the Serbian leader
in the Resava region) Petar Jakovljevic from Glozane as the overlord
of 12 Serbian areas. He started the reconstruction of the monastery,
which had been burned by the Turks as the reprisal, after the fall
of Kocina Krajina.
At the time, the very end of 18th century, the monastery’s
reconstruction was advanced by the priest Miljko Ristic from Lapovo
and, simultaneously, the school for future teachers and clerics was
opened.
Previously, around 1780-85, the school was completed by Voivoda in
the First Serbian Uprising, Stevan Sindjelic, who, as a young man,
worked then on the land of Petar Jakovljevic, in Glozane.
During the time of planning of the First Serbian Uprising, Milkovo
stands up as a place of gathering for the Resava and Sumadia
revolters.
In 1803, the monastery was the meeting place for the Serbian leaders
who elected Petar Jakovljevic as the leader of uprising, but he
refused the position.
In 1808, as the sign of gratitude, monastery Milkovo received from
Karadjordje the church bell with the inscription: “Cast during the
rule of the supreme Serbian leader Georgije Petrovic”. Later, in
1830, the bell was taken away to Kragujevac and was the first one
that tolled in liberated Serbia. Afterwards, the bell was taken to
the Ravanica monastery, and the new bell was donated to Miljkovo by
Prince Milos.
After the crush of the First Serbian Uprising, the monastery was
burned and plundered.
Around 1820, the monastery was partially refurbished, and the
spiritual work was resumed.
Today’s road leading to the monastery was cut out from the rock by
the priest Stanisha Aleksic from Crkvenica, a former student of the
monastery’s school and an active participant of the First and the
Second Uprising. He was buried on the southern side of the church.
In 1856, major reconstructions were made under the direction of
Abbot Hadzi Pantelejmon, who was born in Glozane. The current church
building is from that period. The reconstruction marked the
beginning of the gradual progress for the monastery.
In 1900, the stone wall was built and its remains can be seen on the
southeast side.
In 1926, monastery opens the doors to the Russian emigrants – monks,
who were led by the hieromonk Amvrosije Kurganov. The monastery was
once again spiritually and materially restored.
In 1952, the monastery became a woman's coenobitic monastery. The
first prioress was the nun, and from 1967, the abbess, Dorotea.
Today's appearance of the monastery dates from that period. In 1968,
the southern side was completed. In 1996, the refectory was built
and, three years later, the guest quarters. As of 2003, Dobres
monastery is being repaired.