Journey to Zagori/ Spiritual gems and treasure trove of the heritage of the Orthodox Faith

2025-08-30 18:08:00, Kulturë Atë Grigor Pelushi

In the south of Albania, at the foot of Mount Dhembel, hidden among the mountains, lies the region of Zagoria – a land that has been and remains a hearth of Orthodox Christian faith, knowledge, and spiritual identity.

Zagoria is not simply a geographical region; it is a sacred space where Faith and History coexist in the presence of Churches, Iconostases, Frescoes and Monasteries that stand as indelible evidence of the devotion, for centuries, of generations.
It is the first time that Radio Ngjallja travels to Zagoria to carry out the series of programs 'Journey to the Early Churches of Albania'. Thus, together with Deacon Aleksandr and Marin, we decided to go to an area where its inhabitants feel so proud of their Zagorian identity.

Journey to Zagori/ Spiritual gems and treasure trove of the heritage of the

I had heard about this region from some believers who live in Tirana but also from friends of Radio Ngjallja who wrote to us and asked us to visit this area.

We were accompanied on this journey by Iconom Stavrofor Father Emiliano Lito, priest in the Holy Metropolis of Gjirokastra, one of the most honored clergymen of our Church. For a long time we wanted to collect and identify the church treasures that this area carries, but due to the difficult road, this was impossible to achieve long ago. Now the construction of the road has begun up to the Çajup field and a little further to the village of Ndëran, and a layer of fine gravel has been laid on the remaining part of the road up to Hoshtëvo. According to the signs placed on the road, we learned that it was being built by the Albanian Development Fund. Because the road to some Orthodox Christian temples is still inaccessible by small car, it was deemed necessary to provide a rented off-road vehicle so that we could reach the destinations we had planned.

Journey to Zagori/ Spiritual gems and treasure trove of the heritage of the

Our first stop was at the entrance to Zagoria, where the Church of St. Friday (St. Parashquevia) was once located, which was demolished by the atheist regime in the dark year of the second half of the 20th century (1967). The believers of Zagoria had erected a small Paraklis dedicated to the saint to remind all those traveling to this region that the land they were treading on was holy land. Father Emiliano shared a great joy with us by telling us that only a few days ago the believers of Zagoria had informed him that they had decided to rebuild and restore the former glory and charm of the Church of St. Friday, just as their ancestors had done centuries ago.

Journey to Zagori/ Spiritual gems and treasure trove of the heritage of the
Në këtë vend, Atë Emiliano na tregoi se përveç kishave në Zagori gjenden edhe shumë manastire si për burra dhe për gra gjë që tregon se besimi i këtyre banorëve është shumë i thellë.
Mbërritëm në fshatin e parë që quhet Topovë, në qendër të cilit ngrihet një kambanore e ndërtuar nga banorët pas viteve 90-të në vendin ku ngrihej kisha qendrore e fshatit.

Në hyrje të tij, fshehur mes pemëve, gjendej Manastiri i Shën Marisë që ishte një manastir grash na tregoi Atë Emiliano. Manastiri ishte në këmbë por në degradim e sipër. Pjesë të ikonostasit kishin rënë përdhe. Çatia ishte rrëzuar në disa pjesë. Nëpër mure ende dukeshin mbetje të afreskeve që tregonte se kisha ishte e zbukuruar e gjitha me afreske. U lutëm të katërt që ky manastir të rindërtohet nga banorët e Topovës sepse është në nderin dhe krenarinë e të gjithë atyre që jetojnë sot brenda dhe jashtë vendit (të shpresojmë...).

Journey to Zagori/ Spiritual gems and treasure trove of the heritage of the

Udhëtimi ynë vazhdon drejt fshatit Ndëran. Në qendër të këtij fshati gjendet Kisha e Shën Nikollës, një kishë e ndërtuar nga Kryepiskopi i lumur i Shqipërisë Imzot Anastasi (1929 - 2025) si dhuratë për besimtarët e këtij fshati, në vendin ku gjendej kisha e hershme e këtij shenjtori, që ishte shkatërruar sërish në vitin 1967. Mësuam se Kryepiskopi Anastas kishte ndërtuar edhe ujësjellësin për banorët duke u siguruar ujin e pijshëm që u mungonte prej dekadash.

Prania jonë në fshat nuk mbeti pa u vënë re. Zhurma e dronit që filmonte fshatin dhe kishën ngacmoi qetësinë e drekës dhe një burrë i moshuar doli nga shtëpia dhe mbante një bidon uji të ftohtë sikur ta dinte se sa etje kishim për të pirë pak ujë. Ai ishte Xha Janaqi, i cili vetëm pak kohë më parë kishte përjetuar një fatkeqësi, bashkëshortja e tij kishte ndërruar jetë tragjikisht. Ai na tregoi për fshatin, besimin, Kishën. Xha Janaqi ishte i bindur se sërish Zagoriotët kudo ku janë dhe jetojnë do të kthehen në vendin e tyre dhe se Kishat dhe fshati do të mbushet plot e për plot (dashtë Zoti)!

Journey to Zagori/ Spiritual gems and treasure trove of the heritage of the
Një tjetër manastir ishte përzgjedhur nga Atë Emiliano për tu vizituar - Manastiri i Kryeëngjëjve në Nivan ndërtuar në një pozicion strategjik mes gjelbërimit dhe qetësisë së natyrës, ky manastir është vend i tërheqjes shpirtërore dhe i meditimit të thellë. Historia e tij lidhet ngushtësisht me jetën monakale të shekujve të kaluar, ku murgjit e përkushtuar i jepnin kuptim lutjes, shkrimit të dorëshkrimeve dhe përhapjes së besimit orthodhoks. Ata fuqizonin besimtarët në kohët e vështira të pushtimit osman dhe ndihmonin banorët nga ato pak të mira që kishin. Murgjit katekizonin fëmijët dhe u mësonin atyre shkrim dhe këndim. Ky manastir është restauruar para disa vitesh nga Kisha Orthodhokse Autoqefale e Shqipërisë me fondet e siguruara nga Kryepiskopi i lumur Anastasi.

The Monastery of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel remains today a symbol of man's confrontation with temporality and the call to eternity. It is open every day and is frequented by believers who find rest and relaxation in this place, but also by local and foreign visitors. It is there, as a living testimony of the deep Orthodox experience, a place of consolation, of spiritual peace and a haven of salvation for troubled souls.

Time was passing very quickly. Our last destination was Hoshteva where the Church of the Protocoryphaeus Peter and Paul is located. A church that is talked about so much.
Among the spiritual treasures that adorn this region, the Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul in the village of Hoshteva is a masterpiece of architecture and devotion of the Orthodox Faith. Built in the early 19th century at a time when faith and cultural resistance silently intertwined in the face of the difficulties of the time, this church is a cornerstone of the religious identity of the area.
With a harmonious stone structure, with preserved frescoes and iconography that reflects the mastery of hagiographers of past centuries, this church is not only a place of worship, but also a spiritual center of the entire Zagoria.

Journey to Zagori/ Spiritual gems and treasure trove of the heritage of the

In addition to these churches we mentioned, the entire Zagoria region is filled with ancient churches, many of which are located in villages such as Nivan, Sheper, Lliar, and Konckë. The carved wooden iconostases, inscriptions, and frescoes are powerful evidence of a civilization that united faith with knowledge, devotion with culture and art.

Zagoria is a region where every step leads to a church, and every church leads you closer to the deep meaning of existence.

In a world that is often forgotten in the whirlwind of everyday life, this place reminds us of our sacred roots and the need to humbly preserve the treasures of faith, which have kept us alive in the most difficult moments that our country has gone through.
Zagoria is not just a story of the past, it is an undeniable reality of faith, beauty and love. It continues to bless its sons and daughters for the love of God and their country.

We pray that the sons of Zagoria will not only restore and maintain their churches and monasteries but will also serve as priests, continuing to experience their Orthodox Christian faith properly and fully.