Dhuvjan Monastery
| Manastiri i Shën Qirjakut dhe Julitës | |
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| Monastery information | |
|---|---|
| Order | |
| Established | 1089 |
| Dedicated to | Quiricus and Julietta |
| Diocese | Gjirokastër |
| Site | |
| Location | Gjirokastër County, Albania |
| Public access | yes |
The Dhuvjan Monastery (Albanian: Manastiri i Dhuvjanit, Greek: Μονή Δούβιανης) also known as Monastery of Saints Quiricus and Julietta (Albanian: Manastiri i Shën Qirjakut dhe Julitës, Greek: Μονή Αγιού Κηρύκου καί Ιουλίττας) and Birth of the Virgin Mary Monastery, is a Byzantine monastery located in the western part of the village of Dhuvjan, Gjirokastër County, southern Albania.
The monastery is found on the Drino Valley, in the Dropull region, and lies between the cities of Gjirokastër and Delvinë in southern Albania. It oversees the road between the two cities from the hill where it is situated. It is just one of several monasteries that can be found in the Drino Valley.
The monastery is traditionally dated to the 6th century, however, this has been contested due to notes left by a former monk working in the monastery, who alleged that the monastery was built in 1089. The monastery is devoted to the Virgin Mary.
It underwent restoration in the 1960s and was elevated to the status of cultural monument by the Albanian government in 1963. However, another restoration project is needed as much of the monastery's 3000 square metres are near-ruin.
In summer 2006 the village inhabitants announced that the descendants of the village's former priest, Papa Vllasi, excavated an icon from their garden. The object, described as an emblem and dated 1819, bears the names of 6 saints (Saint Julietta, Theodore Stratelates, John Chrysostom, Saint Charalampe, Saint Eleftherios, and Saint Polycarp) and allegedly contains bones of three of them. In order to prevent this very rare object from possible theft, the inhabitants of Dhuvjan change the place of the icon from time to time.
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