Kaona

Kaona exists because medieval monasteries anchor settlement patterns. Legend attributes the Kaona Monastery's founding to Ikonija, sister of the legendary warrior Miloš Obilić, before the 1389 Battle of Kosovo—though historians date the first church to the 11th century and credit Nemanjić dynasty patronage. The monastery, dedicated to the Holy Archangel, created a gravitational center that would sustain the village through nearly six centuries of Ottoman rule.

During the First Serbian Uprising (1804-1813), Kaona Monastery transformed from spiritual refuge to military infrastructure. Monks participated in fighting; the church stored weapons; wounded rebels received care in an improvised hospital. This dual function—sacred space and resistance node—exemplifies how Serbian monasteries served as institutional refugia during occupation, preserving literacy, identity, and ultimately rebellion capacity.

World War I damaged the monastery severely; German forces stole the bells. Post-World War II communist authorities initially neglected religious sites but eventually permitted restoration. The 1992 double jubilee—600 years of monastic presence and centenary of the current church—drew Patriarch Pavle for Holy Hierarch's Liturgy. The monastery keeps relics of the Venerable Mother Paraskeva.

The village of approximately 341 residents now supplements agriculture with cottage industries; Kaona is known for traditional rug-making. Healing springs on monastery grounds and picturesque lakes draw pilgrims and tourists. Located 90 kilometers from Belgrade, the monastery functions as accessible spiritual retreat. In 2026, Kaona's trajectory depends on whether religious tourism and craft production create sustainable livelihoods for remaining families, or whether proximity to the capital accelerates depopulation as young residents seek urban employment.