The monastery church is dedicated to St. Panteleimon (Sveti Pantalejmon) (August 9)
According to lore, the Staro Hopovo Monastery was built by Despot Đorđe Branković at the end of the 15th century or at the beginning of the 16th century. There are opinions that both Staro and Novo Hopovo were built at the end of the 15th century and that their patron was Despot Đorđe Branković (the latter Archbishop and Metropolitan Maksim of Belgrade and Srem). In historical sources, Staro Hopovo is mentioned in the defter of Ottoman Turks from the 16th century.
It is known that the original church from the 15th century dedicated to St. Nicholas (Sv. Nikola) was destroyed in the middle of the 18th century in an earthquake, and a new one was soon erected, since then dedicated to a new patron saint – St. Panteleimon (Sveti Pantelejmon), which was consecrated by Metropolitan Pavle Nenadović in 1760. A ground floor brick konak was built next to the monastery church. The monastery was then the metochion of Novo Hopovo.
During Second World War, the monastery complex was severely damaged. Renovation of the Church of St. Panteleimon (Crkva Sv. Pantelejmona) and the construction of konak were initiated in 2000, so in 2006 monastic life began again in the monastery. Next to the monastery church, in 2010, a ‘pirg’ was built, which has a bell tower, a library and a shop. The Staro Hopovo Monastery is located in a forest area of exceptional natural features, near the spring arm of the Jelence stream and another sulfuric spring.
The monastery church had several iconostases. To date, two icons from an older church (built before 1760) have been preserved, presumably by Stefan Tenecki, Janko Halkozović and perhaps Nikola Nešković. The iconostasis of the Church of St. Panteleimon (Crkva Sv. Pantelejmona) from the second half of the 18th century had a rich rococo-style carving upholstered in gold, the work of Thomas Firtler. The icons on this new iconostasis were not created as a single entity. It is believed that part of the icons was the work of Jefrem Isailović, and that the throne icons of Janko Halkozović were taken from the older iconostasis partition. In the first half of the 19th century, Hristofer Petrović did the mapping and gilding of the iconostasis. Another mapping of the iconostasis was entrusted to Vasa Eškičević at the beginning of the 20th century. After the destruction in Second World War, 28 icons were preserved and they are kept in the Treasury of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Sremski Karlovci. The modern stone iconostasis partition is the work of Stojko Draganić, and the icons, a gift from Sergije Konstantin and Pavle Livopoljac, are the work of the iconography workshop of the Grgeteg Monastery. The wall paintings, a gift of the Opojević family, were made by Borislav and Marija Živković.
Schedule of liturgies: on Sundays and church holidays at 9.00 a.m., orthros at 6.00 a.m., and vespers at 6.00 p.m.
TOURIST INFORMATION: It is not possible to reach Staro Hopovo by bus until the roundabout is constructed. The monastery is open in the period 8.00 a.m.-8.00 p.m. (during the summer) and 8.00 a.m.-5.00 p.m. (during the winter). Decent dress is implied.
Group visits need to be announced. Tel: +381 (0)22 215 0 133 (call before noon, preferably around 10 am).
