BLACA HERMITAGE ON THE ISLAND OF BRAC

The largest central Dalmatian island rarely reveals all of its secrets, even to regular visitors. One of these is the sacred hermitage in Blaca, and the monastery which was built under the cliffs of Brac in 1555 by Glagolite priests who fled before the Ottoman conquests. On land granted to them by the prince of Brac, these Glagolites built an impressive structure which has been the center of culture and scholarly events on the island for centuries.

During the 1960s, the last priest left the monastery, a descendent of the original Milicevic line. Since then the monastery has only been an attraction for tourists and any others who have the energy to hike to this place far from the eyes of idle passersby. The hermitage is in the Blaca Valley, a geographically remote natural phenomenon located on the southern side of the island of Brac. Travelers must be prepared for what is at least a 30-minute walk whether coming by land or sea, because this pristine site cannot be accessed by any type of modern vehicle.

Such a position was ideal for the medieval residents of the monastery, trained for a monastic life of isolation and study in the wealthy Blaca library. It is no less attractive for those twentieth century denizens who want to get away from a hectic life harried by endless phone calls, fax messages and e-mails. Blaca offers neither luxurious accommodations nor a wonderful menu. Its charms are not in fast room service or an unfailing staff of servants. Blaca simply offers peace. The only thing that can be heard on a pleasant day (and there are over 200 annually in Blaca) in the Blaca Valley is the bleating of the sheep which belong to the monastery's overseer, Luka Vranjes. Vranjes spends almost the entire year guarding the walls of this still unconquered fortress. However, the fortress is now being threatened with a very different type of onslaught; development. There are currently plans to develop the island of Brac by building a road which would pass through the Blaca Valley, effectively transforming Blaca from a hermitage into a standard tourist attraction. Perhaps an approach to this wonderful site will initially put a few extra dollars in the pockets of local power brokers , but the novelty of it original purpose will fade with time.

It is almost unthinkable that amidst all of this beauty and peace, one can come upon a world renowned observatory, left to the fortified monastery by its founder, Fr. Nikola Milicevic the younger. Fr. Nikola, the last of the Milicevic line, the owners of the hermitage, succeeded in becoming an internationally respected astronomer in this isolated locale.

This reputation was earned by the fact that he discovered two stars, one of which he named Croatia, as well as several comets. Milicevic was not lacking in the proper equipment nor astronomical literature in Blaca. When he purchased a telescope in 1926 and brought it to the monastery, it was the largest such device in this part of Europe. Weighing 900 kilograms, it has a 19 centimeter lens.

One of the island's chroniclers noted this event, writing how it required true skill to transport the telescope on mules from the harbor to the monastery along the steep passes which are the only way to the hermitage. In the now already renowned astronomical library of Fr. Nikola, there was an extremely rare and almost inestimable (valued at several million dollars) copy of the Hondius and Jasonius atlas, from 1623, which, after Fr. Nikola's death, disappeared without a trace.

However, not even a catastrophic fire in Blaca could destroy the statue of Our Lady. Either by chance or divine intervention, the statue remained untouched while all of the other property of the Glagolites was consumed by flames. This is why even today the Feast of the Assumption of Mary in Blaca gathers the faithful from surrounding settlements, who attend Mass and beseech the Virgin Mary to hear their prayers. This is the only day on which the Blaca Valley becomes crowded for all those who want to pass through the monastery and see the image of the Holy Virgin.

And when they leave, everything is as it was before. Then the bees go to work in Blaca. Although the once renowned apiary was also devastated by the fire, the buzzing of the bees can still be heard today. The honey that was once produced in this uniquely constructed apiary was apparently the best in the Mediterranean, while the wine made by the monastery's guardians was also favored by European merchants.

The hermitage in Blaca is not the only one on Brac, although the fortunes of history have determined that it is the only one that has been preserved with all of its valuable aspects. However, there are other hermitages in Draceva Luka, in Silvija, and in Zmajava SpiIja (Dragon's Cave), the latter being a unique Brac phenomenon and another one of its well-kept secrets. The one thing all of these hermitages, including the one in Blaca, have in common is that they were originally caves in which the hermits initially sought refuge, and then monasteries were gradually built around them.

Although isolated, the Blaca hermitage is still an original and attractive tourist draw. It can be accessed a little more easily now, because there is an airport on Brac today, which is only an hour or two from the major European centers with the airplanes of Croatia Airlines. And from there one can, of course, go to Blaca, a unique natural and cultural phenomenon of the Croatian coast. (Leopold Botteri, Croatia - The Croatian Airlines travel magazine). Zajednicar 7-24-99