Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, Ras

Coordinates: 43°09′40″N 20°31′37″E / 43.16111°N 20.52694°E / 43.16111; 20.52694
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Church of the Holy Apostles
Peter and Paul
Црква Светих апостола Петра и Павла
Crkva Svetih apostola Petra i Pavla
Serbian Orthodox
RiteByzantine Rite
Location
LocationNovi Pazar, Serbia
Architecture
StyleEarly Byzantine
Completed9th century
(4th century foundation)
Dome(s)1
Europe and North America
Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance
Designated1979
Reference no.SK 182

The Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul (

Serbian Grand Principality (Rascia), in Novi Pazar, Serbia. It is part of the Stari Ras complex, an UNESCO World Heritage Site.[1]

It was founded in the 4th century

during Roman rule,[citation needed] while additions were made in the 7th and 9th centuries, after which it served as the ecclesiastical seat of the Serbian church, and as the baptismal church and state council site of the Nemanjić dynasty, until the last years of the 12th century. It is dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul
.

History

Early

The exact date of founding is unknown; it is mentioned in the 9th century as the seat of the eparchy of Serbia (see

beads and Attic pottery), underneath the floor of the church in 1957–58.[2][3] The findings are presently at the National Museum of Serbia, in Belgrade. Roman, Byzantine and medieval Slavic tombs surround the church.[3]

The present church has been built on several earlier churches of which remains have been well preserved. The foundation of the church, the massive columns, ground-plan and the octagonal tower which conceals an inner cupola are examples of the circular mausoleal architectural type used after

Archaeological findings point that the church has been rebuilt several times in history, beginning in the 4th century, with notable additions made in the 7th century. The architectural style resembles that of early churches in Pomorje, Armenia, Georgia, and Italy, dated to between the 7th and 9th centuries.[citation needed] Whether there was a Byzantine sanctuary on the site of the church is a matter of scholarly dispute and that "traces of Early Byzantine architecture or traces from that epoch in general, were not recorded around Petrova crkva".[4]

Middle Ages

The Church and old graveyard.
The Church

The

Ibar river.[5] Ras itself originates from Latin Arsa via metathesis.[6][7]

The foundation of the episcopy which centre was this church can be dated to the first half of the 10th century.[8] The imperial charter of Basil II from 1020 to the Archbishopric of Ohrid, in which the rights and jurisdictions were established, mentions that the Episcopy of Ras belonged to the Bulgarian autocephal church during the time of Peter I (927–969) and Samuel of Bulgaria (977–1014).[9][10] The episcopy was of a small size.[8] It is considered that it was possibly founded by the Bulgarian emperor,[11][12] or it is the latest date when could have been integrated to the Bulgarian Church.[13] If previously existed, it probably was part of the Bulgarian metropolis of Morava, but certainly not of Durrës.[14] If it was on the Serbian territory, seems that the Church in Serbia or part of the territory of Serbia became linked and influenced by the Bulgarian Church between 870 and 924.[15][16][17] Anyway, the church would have been protected by Bulgarian controlled forts.[18]

By the mid-12th century, after constant conflicts between the Bulgarians, Byzantines and Serbs, the area of Ras was finally conquered and controlled by the Serbs, who greatly renovated it hence becoming centre of defence and residency for the

Bogumils at the church.[1]

Rastko left Serbia in 1192 for

]

The ancient cell of Helandaris was donated by Emperor Alexios III Angelos (1195-1203) "to the Serbs as an eternal gift..." and Stefan Nemanja establishes and endows the monastery in 1198 (before 13 February 1199).[22]

Nemanja died at Hilandar in 1199, while Sava continued his work in establishing the Serbian church.

St. Sava's Nomocanon (Zakonopravilo in Serbian).[23][24] After the Nemanjić era, not much is mentioned about the church. The church frescoes date to the 10th, 12th and 13th centuries, while some frescoes were repainted in the mid-13th century.[3]

Panorama picture of the Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul.

Early modern

After

leads tens of thousands of Serb families to the Christian north.[citation needed
]

Metropolitan Arsenije IV Jovanović Šakabenta restored the church in 1728. During the 18th century, the church had the rank of Metropolitanate, and after 1784, the Eparchy of Raška is organized into the Eparchy of Prizren. In the 1830s, the church is built on and restored. Shortly thereafter, the Ottomans took over the church and use it as an ammunition magazine. Since the First Balkan War (1912), it has been a functioning church.[citation needed]

Contemporary

Conservatory work was done in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The

Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance type.[citation needed
]

The church's walls were defaced with graffiti on 6 April 2008. The police have not officially concluded who perpetrated the act or why.[25]

Gallery

  • "At this place, Serbian national councils were held in the 12th century"
    "At this place, Serbian national councils were held in the 12th century"
  • Fresco of Saint Nicholas
    Fresco of Saint Nicholas
  • Cupola.
    Cupola.
  • Medieval gate, remnant of capital walls
    Medieval gate, remnant of capital walls

See also

Other oldest churches
  • Church of St. George, Sofia
    , the oldest church in Bulgaria
  • Church of Holy Cross, Nin
    , the oldest church in Croatia
  • Panagia Ekatontapiliani, the oldest church in Greece
  • Densuş Church
    , the oldest church in Romania
  • Tkhaba-Yerdy Church, the oldest church in Russia
  • Etchmiadzin Cathedral, the oldest church in Armenia, and the world (UNESCO)

References

  1. ^ a b c Bradt, Serbia[page needed]
  2. ^ Trebenishte: the fortunes of an unusual excavation – M. Stibbe, Rastko Vasić[page needed]
  3. ^ a b c "Panacomp – the Church of St. Apostles Peter and Paul". Archived from the original on 11 May 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. ^ Popović 1999, p. 297, 399.
  5. ^ The entry of the Slavs into Christendom, p. 208
  6. ^ Popović 1999, p. 37.
  7. ^ Bulić 2013, p. 216.
  8. ^ a b Popović 1999, p. 38.
  9. ^ Komatina 2015, pp. 717.
  10. ^ Komatina 2016, pp. 76, 89–90.
  11. ^ Popović 1999, p. 401.
  12. ^ Ćirković 2004, pp. 20, 30.
  13. ^ Komatina 2016, pp. 76–77.
  14. ^ Komatina 2016, pp. 75, 88–91.
  15. ^ Komatina 2015, pp. 717–718.
  16. ^ Komatina 2016, pp. 77, 91.
  17. ^ Špehar 2010, pp. 203, 216.
  18. ^ Špehar 2019, p. 122.
  19. ^ Popović 1999, p. 38, 299–306, 402.
  20. ^ a b Đuro Šurmin, Povjest književnosti hrvatske i srpske, 1808, p. 229
  21. ^ The entry of the Slavs into Christendom, p. 218
  22. ^ Tibor Zivkovic – Charters of the Serbian rulers related to Kosovo and Metochia, p. 15
  23. ^ Petarzoric (PDF), Alan Watson, archived from the original (PDF) on 25 November 2011
  24. ^ p. 118
  25. ^ "Oldest Orthodox church in Balkans (Serbian Orthodox Church) defaced". Spc.rs. Archived from the original on 25 September 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2014.

Sources

External links

43°09′40″N 20°31′37″E / 43.16111°N 20.52694°E / 43.16111; 20.52694