THE HOLY MOUNTAINS - ORANS Location: Bistrica ob Sotli Category: Archaeological sites

Imbedded in the wall on the right of the door of St. George’s chapel is a plate of irregular shape, into which an embossment of a man with a pear-like head and raised arms is made. Carved next to the left arm are two spheres, which in minds of some present the Sun and the Moon. In the upper part of the embossment are also engravings of more indefinable signs and characters, the writing is similar to the one on the stone portal at the chapel’s entrance.

The embossment has supposedly been created towards the end of the first millennia, and it is very likely to be older than the chapel itself. There are many theories about what it presents- some say it’s Jesus Christ, others that it is John the Baptist, and some say it is a pagan symbol...Who is actually depicted on the embossment remains a mystery.

The name of the stone orans, orant comes from the latin verb ‘orare’- to speak; to pray; as a speaker or a preacher. Because of this, we sometimes call Orans ‘Molilec’ (‘One that is praying’). Today, the original is stored elsewhere with a replica replacing it in its initial place.

 

Coordinates: 46.044998, 15.661100