The Church of the Holy Savior (The Ascension of the Lord) in the village of Mala Crna Gora (Žabljak municipality) is one of the most unusual and isolated rural shrines on the Durmitor plateau.
Basic features and highlights:
Unique geographical location: Mala Crna Gora is one of the most elevated and isolated inhabited villages in the Balkans, located on a high plateau between the deep canyons of Tara and Sušice. During the winter, the village is completely cut off from the world for months, so the temple has a special significance for the few remaining locals.
History and construction: The church was built at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century (around 1900) by the efforts and self-sacrifice of the locals (mainly from the Dakić, Šipčić, Džabasan and other brotherhoods who live in this village). It was built in difficult conditions, from stone that had to be touched and carved by hand at that altitude.
Architecture: It is a modest, single-nave building with a "horsetail" bell tower above the entrance, modeled on traditional Montenegrin-Herzegovinian village churches. It is located within the village cemetery.
Holiday and assembly: It is dedicated to the Ascension of the Lord (Salvation Day). On Spasovdan, locals gather in the village, as well as those who come from Little Montenegro and live in other towns.
Affiliation: The church administratively belongs to the Diocese of Budimljansko-Nikšić.
