Crkvica sv. Petra

“Lost, are we?” a voice chuckled, startling me. I turned to see an old woman, eyes twinkling, gesturing towards Crkvica sv. Petra. “This little church has seen more lost souls than a tavern on payday.” Crkvica sv. Petra, nestled on Boninovo, isn’t grand. But it holds a quiet strength, a history whispered in the stones. This unassuming church was once part of a trio of sacred spaces, a trinity known as “Apud tres ecclesias.” Local lore links these churches to St. Hilarus, who, according to the writings of St. Jerome, vanquished a dragon, metaphorically banishing paganism from ancient Epidaurum. Legend also credits him with halting a storm by etching three crosses on Boninovo. These crosses, it is said, served as a protective barrier. Crkvica sv. Petra rose from the foundations of this ancient tale. Before it bore its current name, this site hosted a church dedicated to St. George. This older church became the seat of the St. George brotherhood in 1436. The current Crkvica sv. Petra was consecrated in 1980 by Bishop Severin Pernek. Interestingly, a nearby church, dedicated to St. Hilarus, is now part of the Crkvica sv. Petra complex, serving as its baptistery. The original structure of St. George’s church, primarily Romanesque, underwent transformations and renovations over the centuries, finally taking its present form in the 18th century. The interior, however, reflects a 20th-century update. The original benefice house, built in 1795, was entrusted to the Piarists. Later, in the second half of the 19th century, Franciscan tertiaries resided there. After their departure in 1971, the house was granted, and eventually bequeathed, to the Sisters of Mercy.