Transfiguration Church (Sokobanja)

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The Transfiguration Church in the city center

The Transfiguration Church ( Serbian : Црква Преображења Господњег / Crkva Preobraženja Gospodnjeg), also called the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord , is the Serbian Orthodox parish church of the East Serbian town of Sokobanja .

The church was built from 1884 to 1892 and is dedicated to the Transfiguration of Christ . The church is the parish church of the Sokobanja parish and also the main church of the Sokobanja deanery of the Timok Eparchy of the Serbian Orthodox Church .

The Transfiguration Church is of particular cultural value for the Serbian spa town of Sokobanja. It is considered the most important and most visited church in the region around Sokobanja.

location

Sokobanyas main square with the church

The church is located in the center of the eastern Serbian city of Sokobanja. The church is not far from the bank of the Sokobanjska Moravica , a right tributary of the Southern Morava .

It stands on Trg oslobođenja (Liberation Square) and Ive Andrića Street . Near the church are the town hall, the city park, the tourist office, a hotel and the famous Milošev konak restaurant in Timočka Krajina .

history

Former churches in Sokobanja

In the book Monuments of the Eparchy Timok 1834–1934 it is documented that in Sokobanja there was a Serbian Orthodox church with a priest serving in it even before the city was liberated from the Ottomans . However, this church was later destroyed by the Ottomans. The remains of the old church are still standing next to the Transfiguration Church. It is believed that the church was built at the time of the Serbian medieval king, St. Milutin , who founded the church.

In 1835 a church made of solid material was built in the town, the church was built with the remains of the castle ruins of Svrljig . Only 20 years later, the church had to be demolished due to damage.

The church and the famous Milošev konak restaurant in winter

Construction and dedication of the Transfiguration Church

The Transfiguration Church in the center of Sokobanja was built between 1884 and 1892, under the supervision of the Serbian architects Svetozar Ivačković and Dušan Živadinović from the Vienna Academy of Architecture.

The idea to build the church came from the Belgrade Metropolitan Mihailo (Jovanović), who came from Sokobanja . Metropolitan Mihailo was also the Ktitor of the church and he also financed the construction of the elementary school in Sokobanja. Since the metropolitan was born on the holiday of the Transfiguration of Christ , the church received its patronage .

Most of the church's construction workers were emigrants from Russia who helped build the church in their new home. The local trader Blagoje Hadži Pavlović donated money to paint the frescoes inside the church.

The church was inaugurated at Easter 1892 by Metropolitan Mihailo (Jovanović). The Russian Count Todor Kotov also attended this inauguration . The count had given the church some liturgical items. The church has a rich church archive that has been recorded since 1835. Gospels from 1836 with the original signature of Prince Miloš Obrenović are also among the church treasures.

The church today

The current priest of the church is Zoran Golubović. The Transfiguration Church has been renovated since the end of November 2014, with the blessing of the current Eparchen of the Eparchy Timok , Ilarion (Golubović). In addition to a new white facade, the entrance doors, the furniture in the church and the interior of the church are also to be renovated or newly purchased.

Most of the renovation costs are covered by the city's parish. The Sokobanja municipality is also partially financing the renovation. And the new doors are a gift from Goran Sojanović.

architecture

The Transfiguration Church is built in the Serbian-Byzantine architectural style, with a free-standing church tower that was built in 1936 near the church. It is no longer known who made and painted the frescoes , the iconostasis and the icons of the church. It is said that the iconostasis was built at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century.

Today only a few frescos are preserved inside the church. While the church initially had a red and ocher facade, the facade is now white. The church is a cross-domed church modeled on the Greek cross. The dome of the church is 20 m high. A bust of Metropolitan Mihailo (Jovanović) was placed in the churchyard .

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