The Holy Monastery of Hilandar — Patron of the Festival of Serbian Traditional Songs and Dances ‘Izvor’ in Kosovo and Metohija

From October 8 to 12, 2025, as part of the project ‘The Hilandar Lighthouse’, and organized by the Charitable and Educational Association of the Hilandar Monastery ‘Teofil 1198’, the third Festival of Serbian Traditional Songs and Dances ‘Izvor’ was held in Leposavić.

This year’s Festival was organized as part of the project ‘The Hilandar Lighthouse’, with the blessing of the Very Reverend Archimandrite Methodius, the Abbot of the Hilandar Monastery. Its goal was to help children and youth become acquainted with and connected to Serbian tradition and roots through interactive activities, workshops, lectures, and concerts.

As part of the Festival program, elementary and high school students from Leposavić, Štrpce, Lešak, Čačak, Smederevo, and Belgrade took part in two workshops:

MUSIC WORKSHOP

As part of the music workshop, the children learned to sing traditional Serbian songs from various regions of Serbia. In addition to learning the songs, they also discovered more about their origins, the circumstances in which they were created, the way of singing them, and the symbolism they carry. They worked with four instructors — Dr. Miloš Nikolić, M.A. Dragana Milić, Aleksa Nedeljković, and Biljana Milojević — and prepared a diverse program during which they also had the opportunity to get acquainted with the traditional Serbian instrument — the kaval.

FOLK DANCE WORKSHOP

Through the folk dance workshop, the students had the opportunity to learn the basics of all traditional Serbian dances (kolos), as well as to explore the history of these dances, Serbian national costumes, and to try on authentic folk costume. Alongside learning about the origins of the dances — when, how, and in which parts of Serbia they appeared — the Festival participants, guided by their instructor Marta Milutinović, learned the basic steps of most kolos, as well as several choreographies created especially for them.

They also spent time together visiting the Patriarchate of Peć (Monastery) and the Sočanica Monastery, where they engaged in spiritual conversations with the nuns and monks, as well as the Visoki Dečani Monastery, where they participated in the Canon to Saint Stephen of Dečani.

On Saturday, October 11, a solemn concert was held at the ‘Sava Dečanac’ Cultural Center, where, in addition to the Festival participants who performed the program prepared during the workshops, the following also took part: CAS ‘Kopaonik’ from Leposavić, ‘Tsar Dušan’ Choir from Štrpce, the Ethno Group of Smederevo Gymnasium, accordionists from Zemun Gymnasium, Dr. Miloš Nikolić, and Aleksa Nedeljković.

As part of the Festival, a photo exhibition by Monk Milutin Hilandarac, titled ‘Through the Lens of a Hilandar Monk’, was also presented. Visitors had the opportunity to see unique depictions of the Hilandar Monastery and monastic life on Mount Athos.

The Festival concluded with participation in the Divine Liturgy at the Ulije Monastery, after which the children performed a musical program together with the sisterhood and the people gathered there.

We extend our gratitude to Elementary School ‘Leposavić’, High School ‘Nikola Tesla’, CAS ‘Kopaonik’ from Leposavić, and the ‘Sava Dečanac’ Cultural Center for their participation in the realization of this year’s Festival.