Poskok team in full protective suits removes hornets' nest from St. Prohor Pčinjski Monastery

An unusual pest-removal operation at the St. Prohor Pčinjski Monastery drew attention online after specialists worked from the upper floor to remove a hornets' nest while people were present in the complex.

The work was carried out by experts from the Poskok association, a team that handles removal and care of dangerous insects and reptiles. Video shared on social media shows a Poskok member wearing a full-body protective suit approaching the nest through a window on the monastery's upper floor and using specialised tools to secure it.

The intervention was performed at considerable height and included measures designed to neutralise and extract the nest without putting visitors, worshippers or the clergy at risk. The footage emphasises the cautious, step-by-step method the team used to make the area safe.

Historic site and present-day pilgrimage

St. Prohor Pčinjski Monastery is one of the oldest Orthodox sanctuaries in the region, located on the slopes of the Kozjak mountain near the Macedonian–Serbian border. Tradition says the monastery was founded in the 11th century by Byzantine emperor Roman IV Diogenes; the relics of the hermit Saint Prohor Pčinjski are still kept in the church.

The konak of the monastery also has modern historical significance: on 2 August 1944 the First Session of ASNOM was held there, an event that laid foundations for the modern Macedonian state. Today the site remains a frequent destination for pilgrims and tourists from across the Balkans.

Photo: press material from the event