Serbian archbishop Arsenije I (St. Sava's successor), erected the Church
of the Holy Apostles and transferred his seat to Pec (Metohija); the church
was painted in 1250. In the complex of the latter Patriarchate of Pec, northward,
also was built the adjacent Church of St. Demetrius, c. 1320, by Archbishop
Nikodim. His successor Danilo II, the famous Serbian writer, statesman,
even warrior, built yet another temple at the southern end of the Holy Archangels
and dedicated it to the Virgin Hodegetria. Somewhat later, he attached to
it the little Church of St. Nicholas. Along the fronts of the three mutually
adjacent churches, a monumental narthex with a tower in front of it was
erected also by Danilo II. In the time of archbishop Joanikije, 1345, the
Church of St. Demetrius was painted. In the course of the 14th c. repairs
were carried out in the Holy Apostles so that parts of the church were painted
later.
of the Holy Apostles and transferred his seat to Pec (Metohija); the church
was painted in 1250. In the complex of the latter Patriarchate of Pec, northward,
also was built the adjacent Church of St. Demetrius, c. 1320, by Archbishop
Nikodim. His successor Danilo II, the famous Serbian writer, statesman,
even warrior, built yet another temple at the southern end of the Holy Archangels
and dedicated it to the Virgin Hodegetria. Somewhat later, he attached to
it the little Church of St. Nicholas. Along the fronts of the three mutually
adjacent churches, a monumental narthex with a tower in front of it was
erected also by Danilo II. In the time of archbishop Joanikije, 1345, the
Church of St. Demetrius was painted. In the course of the 14th c. repairs
were carried out in the Holy Apostles so that parts of the church were painted
later.
Hard times hit the complex during the early Turkish occupation. With
the restoration of the Serbian Patriarchate of Pec in 1557, the place
regained its focal spiritual and political role. In 1565 the narthex was
painted and iconostasis renovated. The frescoes were refreshed in 1620-21.
While patriarch Pajsije held the throne, the Holy Apostles were restored,
and in 1633-34. the western part repainted, for the old frescoes have
been seriously damaged. In the time of patriarch Maksim, in 1673-74. St.
Nicholas was painted. During the war between the Turks and Austrians,
in which the Serbs fought on the Christian side, the patriarchate was
badly damaged. The treasury was transported to Gracanica and hidden in
one of its domes, however the Turkish rebel and bandit Jeghen Pasa found
it and took it away in 1688: he needed nine horses to load it. In 1690
patriarch Arsenije III Carnojevic had to leave his throne before the Turkish
offensive spearheaded by the Tatar and Albanian irregulars, and flee to
safety in Belgrade. After the Turks took Belgrade, in October 1690, he
had to pass on the Hungarian side and withdraw, with about 30.000 Serbian
refugees, in Buda and St. Andrew, a small town near the Hungarian capital.
The Turks and Albanians plundered and desecrated the monastery, and also
many other Serbian sanctuaries. The Patriarchate was abandoned in another
war with the Turks, 1737-1739, when Patriarch Arsenije IV Jovanovic left
for Srem, taking along the monks and the valuables. Yet another demolition
the monastery suffered by the Aslan Pasa of Bosnia in 1831.
the restoration of the Serbian Patriarchate of Pec in 1557, the place
regained its focal spiritual and political role. In 1565 the narthex was
painted and iconostasis renovated. The frescoes were refreshed in 1620-21.
While patriarch Pajsije held the throne, the Holy Apostles were restored,
and in 1633-34. the western part repainted, for the old frescoes have
been seriously damaged. In the time of patriarch Maksim, in 1673-74. St.
Nicholas was painted. During the war between the Turks and Austrians,
in which the Serbs fought on the Christian side, the patriarchate was
badly damaged. The treasury was transported to Gracanica and hidden in
one of its domes, however the Turkish rebel and bandit Jeghen Pasa found
it and took it away in 1688: he needed nine horses to load it. In 1690
patriarch Arsenije III Carnojevic had to leave his throne before the Turkish
offensive spearheaded by the Tatar and Albanian irregulars, and flee to
safety in Belgrade. After the Turks took Belgrade, in October 1690, he
had to pass on the Hungarian side and withdraw, with about 30.000 Serbian
refugees, in Buda and St. Andrew, a small town near the Hungarian capital.
The Turks and Albanians plundered and desecrated the monastery, and also
many other Serbian sanctuaries. The Patriarchate was abandoned in another
war with the Turks, 1737-1739, when Patriarch Arsenije IV Jovanovic left
for Srem, taking along the monks and the valuables. Yet another demolition
the monastery suffered by the Aslan Pasa of Bosnia in 1831.
The Church of the Holy Apostles is the oldest church within the complex.
It had elaborately been planned by St Sava and built accordingly. The
oldest parts are its altar and sub-domical spaces, as well as the choirs.
Due to the later construction of the adjacent temples, the western end
has not retained the original look. The church was built in stone, plastered
and painted without. The frescoes date from different periods. The earliest,
in the altar and under the dome, date back to the mid-XIII c. Their topical
complexity indicates that Sava and Arsenije I had impact on their theological
contents. The frescoes on the south and west walls, probably commissioned
by King Milutin,
include the portraits of Stefan
the First Crowned and Uros
I. Two pilasters and the arc connecting the between the west and north
bays were presumably painted between 1350. and 1354. Shortly afterwards,
because some frescoes had decayed, the choir space was painted too. In
those years, the composition of patriarch Joanikije's Dormition was created
above his sarcophagus. C. 1620. Georgije Mitrofanovic portrayed Patriarch
Jovan in the niche of the west wall. Patriarch Pajsije partially financed
the renovation of the deteriorated frescoes in 1636. The Church houses
the relics and graves of three archbishops, Arsenije I, Joanikije II and
Sava II.
It had elaborately been planned by St Sava and built accordingly. The
oldest parts are its altar and sub-domical spaces, as well as the choirs.
Due to the later construction of the adjacent temples, the western end
has not retained the original look. The church was built in stone, plastered
and painted without. The frescoes date from different periods. The earliest,
in the altar and under the dome, date back to the mid-XIII c. Their topical
complexity indicates that Sava and Arsenije I had impact on their theological
contents. The frescoes on the south and west walls, probably commissioned
by King Milutin,
include the portraits of Stefan
the First Crowned and Uros
I. Two pilasters and the arc connecting the between the west and north
bays were presumably painted between 1350. and 1354. Shortly afterwards,
because some frescoes had decayed, the choir space was painted too. In
those years, the composition of patriarch Joanikije's Dormition was created
above his sarcophagus. C. 1620. Georgije Mitrofanovic portrayed Patriarch
Jovan in the niche of the west wall. Patriarch Pajsije partially financed
the renovation of the deteriorated frescoes in 1636. The Church houses
the relics and graves of three archbishops, Arsenije I, Joanikije II and
Sava II.
The Church of St Demetrius was founded by Archbishop Nikodim (1317-1324).
Not big in size, it has the form of a shortened cross with a spacious
dome. It was built in alternate courses of brick and stone. The entrance
is framed with a harmonious stone portal. Joanikije is to be credited
for the frescoes painted towards the middle of the 11th c. The were renovated
in early 17th c. They consist of valuable portraits of Emperor
Dusan, his son Uros V
and Patriarch Joanikije, and also a worthy composition of two Serbian
Councils on a vault in the western part. The church houses the relics
of patriarchs Jefrem and Sava IV.
The Church of the Virgin Hodegetria was built next to the southern side
of the Holy Apostles, c. 1300. It was commissioned by Danilo II, to counterpart
the church of St Demetrius. The ground plan has the form of a floral cross
with an octagonal dome borne by four free standing pillars. The temple
is partioned into three longitudinal spaces. Its two-light windows on
the east and south facades have certain Gothic elements. The church was
painted in 1330s. The founder composition on the west wall testifies to
the fact that Danilo II had commissioned those works as well.
Not big in size, it has the form of a shortened cross with a spacious
dome. It was built in alternate courses of brick and stone. The entrance
is framed with a harmonious stone portal. Joanikije is to be credited
for the frescoes painted towards the middle of the 11th c. The were renovated
in early 17th c. They consist of valuable portraits of Emperor
Dusan, his son Uros V
and Patriarch Joanikije, and also a worthy composition of two Serbian
Councils on a vault in the western part. The church houses the relics
of patriarchs Jefrem and Sava IV.
The Church of the Virgin Hodegetria was built next to the southern side
of the Holy Apostles, c. 1300. It was commissioned by Danilo II, to counterpart
the church of St Demetrius. The ground plan has the form of a floral cross
with an octagonal dome borne by four free standing pillars. The temple
is partioned into three longitudinal spaces. Its two-light windows on
the east and south facades have certain Gothic elements. The church was
painted in 1330s. The founder composition on the west wall testifies to
the fact that Danilo II had commissioned those works as well.
The narthex was erected by Archbishop Danilo II in early 1330s, as an
ante-church to the three adjacent temples. As first, it was open to three
sides, and inside, due to the large span, there used to be five buttresses
to carry the whole mass. Since the narthex had gradually deteriorated
and became insecure, the arched openings were walled up within the restoration
in 1560s. Little has been preserved of the original frescoes that had
adorned the whole narthex in the time of Danilo II. Noteworthy is the
genealogy of the Nemanjic Dynasty beginning with Nemanja and ending with
King Dusan. Among the individual figures, the representation of the Breast-feeding
Mother of God stands out. The facade of the narthex used to be painted,
too. Before 1375, above his stone throne, St. Sava was painted on a pilaster
in the doorway of the Holy Apostles, but signed as a patriarch instead
of an archbishop which his actual rank. Other frescoes on the vaults were
painted in 1565, after the renewal of the Patriarchate, commissioned by
the Patriarch Makarije Sokolovic, 365 figures illustrating each day of
the Calendar. The painters employed included monk Longin, the most famous
Serbian painter of the latter half of the 16th c.
ante-church to the three adjacent temples. As first, it was open to three
sides, and inside, due to the large span, there used to be five buttresses
to carry the whole mass. Since the narthex had gradually deteriorated
and became insecure, the arched openings were walled up within the restoration
in 1560s. Little has been preserved of the original frescoes that had
adorned the whole narthex in the time of Danilo II. Noteworthy is the
genealogy of the Nemanjic Dynasty beginning with Nemanja and ending with
King Dusan. Among the individual figures, the representation of the Breast-feeding
Mother of God stands out. The facade of the narthex used to be painted,
too. Before 1375, above his stone throne, St. Sava was painted on a pilaster
in the doorway of the Holy Apostles, but signed as a patriarch instead
of an archbishop which his actual rank. Other frescoes on the vaults were
painted in 1565, after the renewal of the Patriarchate, commissioned by
the Patriarch Makarije Sokolovic, 365 figures illustrating each day of
the Calendar. The painters employed included monk Longin, the most famous
Serbian painter of the latter half of the 16th c.
The Church of St Nicholas is a little church, also founded by Archbishop
Danilo II. It is a single nave building with a tripartite apse, of brick
and stone. The tunnel vault is strengthened by an arch resting on two
pilasters. The original frescoes have not survived. The latter painting
of the church, in 1673, had been commisioned by patriarch Makarije. The
frescoes were created by Radul, the most famous Serbian painter of the
late 17th c. The founders composition on the south wall shows St Nicholas
taking Patriarch Makarije to Jesus Christ. On the north wall there are
the portraits of the Serbian saints Simon Nemanja and Sava, as well as
archbishops Arsenije I and Danilo I.
The whole Patriarchate of Pec used to be girdled with a wall strengthened
with five towers, one of the donjon additionally fortified. Of some monastic
facilities, only foundations have survived. The residence at the back
of the churchyard were set on fire by Albanian terrorists in 1981; they
were restored in 1983. The new residence in the northeastern part of the
yard was completed in 1991.
After the Bishoprics of the Serbian Orthodox Church united in 1920,
metropolitan Dimitrije was enthroned in Pec as the first Patriarch, after
1766, of the renewed Serbian Patriarchate. Ever since, all the elected
patriarchs have been enthroned ceremonially in this monastery. The Patriarchate
of Pech is a monastery under the administration of the Patriarch himself,
and exempted from the jurisdiction of the regional bishopric.
Danilo II. It is a single nave building with a tripartite apse, of brick
and stone. The tunnel vault is strengthened by an arch resting on two
pilasters. The original frescoes have not survived. The latter painting
of the church, in 1673, had been commisioned by patriarch Makarije. The
frescoes were created by Radul, the most famous Serbian painter of the
late 17th c. The founders composition on the south wall shows St Nicholas
taking Patriarch Makarije to Jesus Christ. On the north wall there are
the portraits of the Serbian saints Simon Nemanja and Sava, as well as
archbishops Arsenije I and Danilo I.
The whole Patriarchate of Pec used to be girdled with a wall strengthened
with five towers, one of the donjon additionally fortified. Of some monastic
facilities, only foundations have survived. The residence at the back
of the churchyard were set on fire by Albanian terrorists in 1981; they
were restored in 1983. The new residence in the northeastern part of the
yard was completed in 1991.
After the Bishoprics of the Serbian Orthodox Church united in 1920,
metropolitan Dimitrije was enthroned in Pec as the first Patriarch, after
1766, of the renewed Serbian Patriarchate. Ever since, all the elected
patriarchs have been enthroned ceremonially in this monastery. The Patriarchate
of Pech is a monastery under the administration of the Patriarch himself,
and exempted from the jurisdiction of the regional bishopric.
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