The Monastery of the Most Holy Mother of God Eleousa sits in the small village of Veljusa, about 5 km west of Strumica on a slope of the Belasica mountains. The main church, dedicated in 1080 during the Byzantine reconquest of these lands, is a tiny cross-in-square building with a clover-leaf plan that is unique in Macedonia. Inside, fragments of the original 11th-century frescoes survive — uneven and damaged, but precious, since most Byzantine wall painting of this date has been lost.
The marble screen separating the nave from the sanctuary is also original. A small community of nuns still lives in the monastery and welcomes visitors in modest dress (long sleeves, covered heads for women). The setting is half the reason to come: dry stone walls, vegetable gardens, almond trees, and a long view back across the Strumica plain. The monastery is freely accessible during daylight hours, but donations to the upkeep are appreciated.