Badija: The Chapel of the Holy Cross

Chapel of the Holy Cross is a part of the Franciscan Monastery on Badija ( see the plan) and was built in the period between 1729 and 1763 by Franciscan monks living in the Monastery at the time.

It was designed by Venetian architect Giorgio Massari one of the masters of that period.

Situated on the north side of the Monastery (see the plan and photo below) the Chapel is dominated by a colossal marble altar in an arched wall niche. It also houses numerous votive offerings/ tiles.

The initial reason to build the Chapel was to house the statue of the Christ on the cross created by Juraj Petrovic in 1457 as monks considered that statute to be of great importance.

The construction period was about 40 years and finally, upon the completion of the Chapel, the cross was brought in with a large procession held on the 25th of July 1763.

Since that day the Chapel became a place of yearly pilgrimage and traditional procession of The Pardon of Assisi (locally called “Perdun”)

After the expropriation of the Monastery (in 1949) the crucifix was transferred to the Franciscan Monastery on the Peljesac (more photos of Orebic monastery) and later returned.