The Church of the Holy Martyr Nedjelja (popularly known as St. Neđelja) in Jošica above Kamenar is one of the most beautiful and historically interesting Orthodox churches in Boka Kotor.
History and legend about the origin
Old church (17th century): The original church was built in the second half of the 17th century (around 1675) during the Turkish rule in these parts. According to legend, the locals built it secretly, without the official permission of the Turkish authorities. When the Turkish captain discovered this, he imprisoned the local householders, so the locals had to pay a heavy fine and make sacrifices to save the church.
Construction of the present church (1857–1867): Given that the old church was small and modest, in the middle of the 19th century, the construction of the new, current church began. It was built from 1857 to 1867 under the leadership of master Đurić from Igalo, mainly thanks to the contributions of sailors and locals (especially Ilija M. Đuranović). The church was consecrated on Christmas Day 1867 by priest Andrija Balić.
Large belfry: Originally, the church had a smaller belfry on a horsehair. Today's monumental belfry, over 21 meters high, was built before the Second World War (1936-1939) from quality stone from Korčula.
Location and architecture
The church is located on a dominant, wooded hill above Kamenar and the Veriga strait, from which one of the most beautiful panoramas of the Bay of Kotor can be seen.
It was built in the shape of a cross with a large central dome (about 16 meters high) that has six windows.
The interior is decorated with a valuable iconostasis made by master L. Piñoli from Perast, while the throne icons are painted by Spiro Đurañović.
Curiosities
Shared tradition: Throughout history, this temple has been a gathering place for the entire region. In the past, there were two altars (Orthodox and Catholic) in it for some time, and to this day the custom remains that on the day of the temple's glory (the first Sunday after Ilindan), both Orthodox and Catholics from Kamenar, Jošica and Lepetan come to litia.
Delusion in Russia: Given that the Russians St. Sunday is observed under the Greek name Kiriakia, and the word "Sunday" in Russian means Resurrection (Воскресенье), on old church objects and books that arrived from Russia as a gift, it was wrongly written that they were intended for the "Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jošica".
Famous graves: In the gate of the church and in the nearby cemetery, many famous people of this region are buried, including the famous Serbian writer, historian and politician Dr. Lazar Tomanović and members of his family.
