ISOLATED CRES CHURCHES

The exhibition and educational project of the same name began in 1995 on a private aiming to introduce, protect, and respect the diversity of the Cres landscape, to protect nature, the national architectural and sacral heritage with praise woven into and becoming one with the landscape.

There are approximately sixty churches distributed outside the larger town centres of Cres and Osor. The construction styles are predominantly Romantic and Gothic and all face in the same direction. The apses are constructed towards the northeast, and the entrance is on the southwest side. In eighteen churches, their patron saints are celebrated through pilgrimages and masses. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes, bring water and relax in the coming together of prayer, spirituality and the beauty of the Cres shepherd and labourer trails.

On the northern part of the island, at Tramuntana, there are ten churches. On feast days, pilgrimages are led from the Church of Saint Anthony at Porozina (13 June) and Saint John the Baptist (24 June) near the abandoned shepherd’s home Stepić. (Due to the fact that young men would often fight over women on the feast day of Saint John the Baptist after mass, songs, wine, and dance, the locals often call this church Saint John of the Fist).

In the centre of the island, near the cities of Cres and Lubenica, there are twenty-three churches; in the area around Orlec-Martinšćica there are eleven churches. Pilgrimages are made to the already mentioned Church of the Mother of God of the Holy Salvation (see page on Our Lady of Cres), Saint John (last Sunday in August), Saint Nicholas (every Saturday in the month), Saint Cosmas and Damian (26 September), “on the ridge rising in the midst of the agricultural cultures” of the Mother of God of Paprot (15 and 16 August), the Motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary (second Sunday in October), Saint George at Pernat (23 April), Saint Steven (26 December), Saint Michael (29 September), Saint Mark (25 April), Saint Ursula (21 October), Saint Cosmas and Damian (26 September) and All Saints Day (1 November).

The southern part of the island, between Belej-Osor, has eighteen churches, and pilgrimages are made to three: the Mother of God of Loz (see page of Our Lady of Lošinj and Cres), Saint Augustine (28 August), and Saint Andrew (30 November).

Information

Tourism Association of the City of Cres
tel. 051/571 535
www.tzg-cres.hr
tzg-cresa@ri.t-com.hr