Debar

Debar, the Monastery of St. George, and the Road to Lake Ohrid

Following the Radika Canyon, the river flows into the artificial Lake Debar, on whose shores lies the town of Debar, home to a predominantly Albanian population. On the outskirts of the town stands a newly established Macedonian women’s monastery, centered around an ancient church dedicated to St. George. This monastery is an offshoot of the nearby John Bigorski Monastery, and the abbot of Bigorski also serves as the spiritual father of the nuns. He oversees their spiritual life, conducts Mass, and guides them along the path of Theosis.

At the entrance to the monastery church, on the right side, there is an icon of St. George bearing a small severed fingertip attached to his nose. This unusual feature replicates a similar image found at the St. George Monastery on Mount Athos. According to tradition, after the monks completed the construction of the Athonite monastery, they could not decide to whom it should be dedicated. They left a blank wooden panel overnight, and the next morning, they discovered a miraculous image of St. George had appeared on it. Doubting the miracle, the abbot touched the image to see if the paint was fresh. His finger became stuck to the icon and had to be amputated. That fingertip was then affixed to the saint’s image—right on his nose.

The nuns at the monastery venerate St. George as their protector against hardship and misfortune. They welcome visitors warmly. One nun, Sister Barbara, speaks excellent English and introduces guests to the monastery’s history and to its collection of holy relics. The monastery church is surrounded by a beautifully kept garden within a walled enclosure and offers a stunning view over Lake Debar. One of the sisters’ main occupations is the crafting of bishops’ miters—elaborate ceremonial hats—which require several months of skilled handiwork to complete. This is the only monastery in the Balkans where this traditional ecclesiastical art is still practiced.

From Debar, a scenic route crosses the dam that holds back Lake Debar and continues through the breathtaking gorge of the Black Drin River, which flows out of Lake Ohrid. The road winds past a series of picturesque lakes before arriving at Lake Ohrid itself. Shortly before reaching the lake, a turnoff leads to the charming and historically rich village of Vevčani, nestled below the Jablanica mountain range, which forms the natural border between Macedonia and Albania.

Above the village lies a unique park featuring powerful karst springs—among the largest and most impressive in Macedonia. These springs are the main attraction of Vevčani and are accompanied by an ancient watermill and a network of ecological walking trails, making the site a harmonious blend of nature, tradition, and sustainable tourism.