Traveling by boat through the Bay of Kotor, from the direction of Veriga, before Perast appears before his eyes, the traveler notices the silhouette of a dark, almost black island, in the background of which, as on a huge backdrop, you can see the city, painted with patina of the past. the palaces and churches of the old captains, who had long since departed from it, never to return. And everything around is covered with a black veil of death ...
This island has been called Saint Đorđe for more than thirteen centuries. Then they called him Kotorani. And they didn't do it by accident, but deeply thought out. The small land oasis was named after the then patron saint of Kotor, Saint Đorđe. A lot has changed since then - either it has disappeared, or a new one has been created. Numerous owners of the island also changed, because whoever owned it ruled the Gulf of Risan and Kotor.
With the story of Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare probably, quite by accident, devised a pattern for all subsequent love stories, which ended tragically. One of them happened in Perast, Montenegro. Its actors were Katica and Ante, and the secret of them is kept today by the island of St.Đorđe.
Legend has it that it happened back in 1813 when they soldiers Napoleon Bonaparte,after the French conquest ruled this of the coast.
Among the soldiers a young officer Ante Slović, a Dalmatian from the island of Cres, who had no idea that coming to this area would change his life radically, that he would find the love of his life there, then lose it unhappily.
Walking with his friends through Perast, young Ante saw one of the most beautiful local girls of that time - Katica Kalfic. He immediately fell in love with her.
Although there are no precise testimonies about this meeting of theirs, judging by the events that soon took place, it was "love at first sight". Katica didn't remain indifferent to the seen Dalmatian either, so they started dreaming about living together.
They had no idea that all their dreams would be interrupted only a few days later.
the unfortunate fate of Katica Kalfic
The peoples of the occupied territories have always tried to oppose the enemy. The inhabitants of Perast were not different either. One such "disobedience" was almost insignificant for the outcome of the war, but fatal for Ante and Katica.
Namely, the people of Perast pointed out the occupying flag at the Sveti Križ fortress. which infuriated the French commander. His army, which was stationed on a nearby island, across from the city, was ordered to fire from cannons at Perast.
The first cannonball took off "from the hand" of officer Slović. Immediately after him, the people of Perast raised the white flag and everything was over.
Happy with the rapid ceasefire, Ante hurried by boat to the shore to see his beloved Katica, but there was silence. His Katica lay dead. He was told that she had been killed by the only platoon that flew towards Perast… the one fired by Ante.
The only living inhabitant of the "island of the dead."
The procession with the remains of Katica Kalfić set off in boats towards the island of St. Đorđe, which, in addition to the name of the patron saint of Kotor, is often called the "island of death", because the graves of many Perastans were located there.
The beautiful Katica found her eternal peace on him, and Ante then decided never to part with her again. On the same day, Ante decided to take off his uniform forever, stay on the island with Katica and become the eternal guardian of her grave. He took care of Katica's grave, brought fresh flowers and lit a candle every day. For years, its flame was a signal to the people of Perast that the only inhabitant of this island is still alive.
The years passed… Although he came as a soldier of the occupying army and was personally responsible for the death of one of the favorite inhabitants of Perast, the locals fell in love with Fr. Fran, so they gave him a boat which, on rare occasions, transported him to the city to procure supplies. .
When one candle did not shine from Katie's grave, they knew he had joined her in eternity.
In the morning, they immediately hurried to the island. They found the friar lying dead over Katica's grave, holding a piece of paper that read: "Bury me here, so that I can at least be dead with Katica."
The people of Perast, out of respect, fulfilled his last wish, and since then on the island of St. Đorđe, next to the church wall, there is a grave on which there are no inscriptions. Above it rise two cypresses, which merge in height.
Romeo and Juliet from Peraška rest here.
Today, the island of St. Đorđe is not open for tourist visits, although it is not denied to those who specifically request it. The priests of Subotica also have a reason not to open it to tourists. '' This is the island of the dead. There has been a Peraška cemetery here for centuries. We don't want the living to disturb the dead '' .
By the way, many more Perastans now rest in the cemetery on St. Đorđe than live in Perast today.
veoma zanimljivo mesto i prica koja je vezana za njega