Local churches South-east region
Monospitovo
Monospitovo has a long tradition of Protestantism. The first church was established in 1886. The first General Conference of Evangelical Protestant Churches in Macedonia was held in Monospitovo in 1895. Today's church began as a small group in the home of Toni and Desa Barbutov in 1990. These gatherings continued until 1998, when it became part of the Evangelical Church of Macedonia. In 2000, a new church building was built and regular services continue to be held there.
The pastor of the Evangelical Church - Monspitovo is Toni Barbutov, who leads the church together with his wife Desa and two theologians who completed their studies at the Evangelical Theological Faculty in Osijek, Croatia. Toni and Desa have been married since 1984. They have two sons and one daughter.
The village has about 550 households with about 1,500 inhabitants. The biggest attraction is the Monospitovsko blato — a large swamp, located about ten kilometers northeast of Strumica, in the Stara Reka valley. It is assumed that the swamp is a remnant of the former large lake that was formed when the Aegean mainland was formed, and later flowed into the Aegean Sea. The swamp is located at an altitude of 240 meters, which with its rich flora and fauna is the only marshy area in Macedonia. In the past, the swamp had an area of about 5 thousand hectares, and now the famous gul barely extends to 400 hectares. Surrounded by several species of trees, ferns, marsh reeds and countless birds, this natural monument resembles a small jungle in which unique plants and animals that are not found in other areas, not only in Macedonia, but also in the Balkans, are still hidden.
