Feast of the Holy Forty Martyrs in Stip

On 22 March the town of Štip marks the feast of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste with a custom that belongs to the town alone: people climb the Isar hill in the middle of it, traditionally forty times though few manage that, pick forty flowers, and greet forty acquaintances on the way, and the whole town is out on the slope doing it. It is observed by Orthodox and Muslim residents alike. UNESCO inscribed it in 2013.

The main sights

• The Isar climb - the hill in the middle of the town, climbed repeatedly through the day.
• The forty greetings - the custom of meeting forty acquaintances on the way.
• The flower picking - the forty flowers gathered on the slopes.
• The shared observance - a feast marked across the town's communities.

When to go

22 March is the day and the only time the custom is practised. The whole town takes part from morning onwards. Weather in March is variable.

What to expect

It happens on one day a year and there is nothing to see of it otherwise. The hill is crowded and the climbing is repetitive by design. Accommodation in Štip is limited.

Nearby

Bargala is northeast, and Veles is west.