Hidden Treasures of Faith: Sacred Christian Relics on Cetinje

High in the hills of Montenegro’s old royal capital, away from the coastline and bustling tourist towns, lies Cetinje — a quiet, spiritual place with deep historical roots.
Beyond its museums and royal heritage, Cetinje holds the sacred Christian relics known to few outside the Orthodox Christian world: some of the most revered are housed right here, in the heart of Montenegro.

Sacred Christian relics on Cetinje

Among the most treasured and spiritually significant relics preserved in Cetinje are sacred Christian artifacts that have shaped centuries of faith and devotion:

• The right hand of Saint John the Baptist
• A fragment of the True Cross (Časni Krst Gospodnji)
• The miraculous Icon of the Virgin of Phileremos (Bogorodica Filermosa)

Together, they make Cetinje not only a place of national pride, but also one of the most significant pilgrimage sites in the region — and a moving destination for anyone interested in faith, history, and sacred art.

Perhaps the most awe-inspiring of all relics in Cetinje is the right hand of Saint John the Baptist, the very hand believed to have baptized Jesus Christ in the River Jordan.
Housed in a finely crafted reliquary, this relic has traveled across empires and centuries — from the Holy Land to Constantinople, from the Knights of Malta to Imperial Russia — before finding its permanent home in Montenegro.

Today, it rests in the Cetinje Monastery, where it is preserved with great reverence and care.
Visitors can witness this remarkable relic during major Orthodox holidays or specially arranged viewings.

Also kept in Cetinje is a piece of the True Cross — the very wood believed to have formed the cross on which Jesus was crucified.

This relic, known as the Časni Krst, has been venerated by generations of believers, and it continues to inspire pilgrims who come to touch history and faith in a single moment.

The Icon of the Virgin of Phileremos (Filermosa), once the sacred protector of the Knights Hospitaller, is another powerful symbol of Montenegro’s role in preserving Christian heritage.

This beautiful and ancient icon was carried through centuries of conflict, from Rhodes to Malta, and eventually entrusted to Montenegrin rulers during the 19th century for safekeeping.

Today, it is exhibited with deep respect in the Relics Treasury in Cetinje, where its presence continues to inspire awe and devotion.