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Ratac or Ratac Abbey (, ) was a fortified monastic complex on the coast of the peninsula between Bar and
Sutomore Sutomore (, , , ) is a town in Coastal region of Montenegro in Bar Municipality. A 2011 census put the population at 2,004. History When it was under the control of the Republic of Venice from 1420 to 1797, Sutomore was called ''Spizza'' (in ...
in modern-day
Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...
. Ratac Abbey was under jurisdiction of the
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bar The Archdiocese of Bar (; ; ) is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church in Montenegro.
, though relations between Ratac abbots and Bar archbishops were not always good. Based on the charters issued to Ratac by the rulers of Serbia of
Nemanjić dynasty The House of Nemanjić ( sr-Cyrl, Немањић, Немањићи; Nemanjić, Nemanjići, ) was the most prominent Serbian dynasty of Serbia in the Middle Ages. This princely, royal and imperial house produced List of Serbian monarchs, twelv ...
, Ratac had a hospital that provided treatment to people who lived in poverty. In the middle of the 15th century people infected with
leprosy Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD), is a Chronic condition, long-term infection by the bacteria ''Mycobacterium leprae'' or ''Mycobacterium lepromatosis''. Infection can lead to damage of the Peripheral nervous system, nerves, respir ...
were treated in this hospital. The earliest source that mentions Ratas is from 1247, though it probably existed much earlier. On 15 March 1306
Stephen Uroš II Milutin of Serbia Stephen (honorific), Stefan Uroš II Milutin ( sr-Cyrl, Стефан Урош II Милутин, Stefan Uroš II Milutin; 1253 – 29 October 1321), known as List of Serbian saints, Saint King, was the List of Serbian monarchs, King of Kingdom o ...
issued a charter to Ratac in which he appointed his son
Stephen Stephen or Steven is an English given name, first name. It is particularly significant to Christianity, Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; he is w ...
as his future successor. Building of the new church within the already existing monastic complex began in 1347. At the beginning of the First Scutari War Ratac was captured by Venetians. In 1407 representatives of the Venetian Republic and
Balša III Balša III ( sr-cyr, Балша III; ) or Balsha III (1387 – 28 April 1421, in Belgrade) was the fifth and last ruler of Zeta from the Balšić noble family, from April 1403 to April 1421. He was the son of Đurađ II and Jelena Lazarević. ...
met on the territory in possession of Ratac in attempt to negotiate peace. During negotiations held in June 1408 Venetians insisted to keep Ratac in their possession. The Treaty of Vučitrn, signed in
Vučitrn Vushtrri ( sq-definite, Vushtrria; sr-Cyrl, Вучитрн, ''Vučitrn'') is a city and municipality located in the Mitrovica District in Kosovo. According to the 2024 census, the town of Vushtrri has 28,150 inhabitants, while the municipality ...
on 22 April 1426 between the
Republic of Venice The Republic of Venice, officially the Most Serene Republic of Venice and traditionally known as La Serenissima, was a sovereign state and Maritime republics, maritime republic with its capital in Venice. Founded, according to tradition, in 697 ...
and the
Serbian Despotate The Serbian Despotate () was a medieval Serbian state in the first half of the 15th century. Although the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 is mistakenly considered the end of medieval Serbia, the Despotate, a successor of the Serbian Empire and Moravi ...
, formally ended the
Second Scutari War The Second Scutari War (; ) was an armed conflict in 1419–1426 between Zeta under the Balsha, Zeta (1419–1421) and then the Serbian Despotate (1421–1423) on the one side and the Venetian Republic on the other, over Shkodër and other former ...
. By this treaty Venice ceded Ratac to Serbian despotate. Ratac was included into the list of Serbian demands probably based on the pressure of the people from Bar on Serbian negotiators. Since 1443 it was again under Venetian control until 1571 when it was destroyed by the Ottomans. In the 15th century the abbot of Ratac monastery was
Georgius Pelino Georgius Pelino or Gjergj Pelini ( 1438–1463) was an Albanian Catholic priest, the abbot of Ratac Abbey and diplomat of Skanderbeg and Venetian Republic. Life Pelino's birthdate is unknown, but his birthplace Novo Brdo is stated in a 1441 ...
, one of the most notable priests and businessmen of his time. Pelinović was not the only abbot of Ratac Abbey. According to one 1445 Venetian report, there were two abbots in Ratac who shared the income of the abbey. Pelinović managed to remove his colleague and continued to manage the monastery alone. He was succeeded by Petar Fortis. When in the late 16th century jurisdiction of the Benedictine monastery Ratac collapses the Orthodox rite began to strengthen in the area of Catholic parishes Spič, Sozina and Kastel Lastva which were under jurisdiction of this monastery. The Orthodox clergy and the Orthodox believers at the same time began to use Catholic Churches of that area for their rites.Ivan Jovović, 2013, Dvooltarske crkve na crnogorskom primorju, https://www.maticacrnogorska.me/files/53/06%20ivan%20jovovic.pdf #page=77-78


References


Further reading

* Ratačka opatija kod Bara,
Momčilo Spremić Momčilo Spremić (; born August 29, 1937) is a Serbian historian and member of the Serbian Academy of Science and Arts. He is professor of General history of the Middle Ages at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Philosophy. Spremić specialize ...
, Zbornik Filozofskog Fakulteta, 1964, VIII— 1, 191—215 * Benediktinska opatija svete Marije Ratačke kod Bara, Acta diplomatica et iuridica, Savo Marković, Bar


External links

{{Commons category, Churches in Ratac monastery
Text about Ratac on the website about Medieval fortified towns in modern-day Montenegro

Text about Ratac in montenegrin language
Roman Catholic monasteries in Montenegro Destroyed Christian monasteries Venetian period in the history of Montenegro