Monastýr svatého Gorazda Monastery

Monastýr svatého Gorazda, the full name of the Orthodox Monastere of the Holy Martyr of Bishop Gorazda, is the Orthodox monastery in Hrubé Vrbka, which was created as a monument to the personality of Bishop St. Gorazd II (1879-1942). This is the birthplace of Matìj Pavlik, who later became an important figure of Czech Orthodoxy. The monastary serves as a place where monks seek to revive and preserve the Orthodox, Cyril-Methodist church tradition brought to Moravia by the Byzantine Empire over a thousand years ago.

The history of the monasterist begins in 1989, when the Bishop of St. Gorazz II was built here. The Orthodox priest Alexandr Novák of Znojmo and local resident nurse Gorazda, who was named Růžena Prachařová in their family, had a major share of his creation. In 1992 the original monument was extended by the monastery itself. Although the building of the monastery is not in the place of Gorazdo's home house, which was not able to be redeemed, it is located near it and carries a memorial plate reminiscent of its conexi with the place.

The first head of the monastery became the schiarchimandrita Kyril, his own name Jaroslav Pospíšil (1927-2003). There were only two other persons living next to it in the lead. After his death, when he was buried at the wall of the monasterist, Jáchym (Roman Hrdý) became the leader, who later asserted himself as the famous figure of Czech Orthodox - he was Hodonín Bishop (2009- 2014), then the Prague Archbishop (2014- 2015) and later the title Archbishop of Beroun. For Jáchymo's leadership, the monasterist recorded a period of great flourishing and development.

The construction of the monastery was originally built with regard to the Hornácké tradition, provided only with a simple wooden tower covered with shingles. In 2017, however, the monastery underwent a complex reconstruction which changed its appearance substantially. From the period after reconstruction comes two significant gold towers on the main building, which follow the tradition of Eastern European sacral architecture.

Today, the monasteries are engaged in lively diocesan activity - there are children's camps and meetings of believers. The monastery offers accommodation for pilgrims and guests, 17 beds are available, and more days can be spent here. Part of the monastery is a chapel decorated with wall paintings by Slovak priest Izubímímír Kupka, now operating in America. The frescoes are decorated with iconographic motifs: Christ with the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist on his forehead, on the side walls crucified by Christ with his mother and apostle John, Saint Cyril and Methodius and Czech saints - St. Wenceslas, St. Ludmila, St. Ivan, St. Prokop and St. Gorazd.