Church of St. John the Baptist

The annual Lopar parish feast day is known as Ivanja – the feast of St John. The parish celebration is held on 24 June every year and the locals mark the day by making lavender bundles (so-called “bubice”), which they bring to the church on this feast day.

Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, also known locally as the Church of Our Lady (or “U Gospoje”), is a votive church with a rich history dating back to the 14th century, as mentioned in municipal records. Located on a hill within a pine forest near the ferry port, it draws numerous tourists and pilgrims each year. The church is particularly significant for its celebration of the Feast of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary on September 8, a tradition deeply rooted in the local community.

The church’s altar houses a valuable late Romanesque wooden relief from the 14th century depicting St. Anne (Mary’s mother) with the young Virgin Mary (referred to as “Mala Gospa” or “Little Mary”). Around the altar, votive offerings such as model ships and women’s scarves symbolize gratitude and devotion. On the feast day, believers from across the island, accompanied by tourists, gather to honor the Nativity of the Virgin Mary with a pilgrimage and festive celebrations.

It was first mentioned in 1447 as S. Nicolai de Sarigno. The credit for its construction is attributed to priest Toma de Zanzarello. The church is a small, single-nave building with a semicircular apse. The façade ends with a stone bell gable without a bell, beneath which there is a small window opening. The side walls and the back wall of the apse each have a narrow, elongated window opening.