CHURCH OF THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD IN BOGATIC
Church of the Holy Mother of God
Church of the Holy Mother of God
The Old Church in Bogatić was first described in detail by Joakim Vujić in 1826. year:” In this village there is a large new church made of wood. The founder of this church is His Royal Highness Mr. Miloš, with his brother Mr. Jefrem. In this place there was a small church that the Turks took after the fall of the Serbian leader Mr. Petrović was burned and until its foundation was demolished. The temple of the church is Tomina Nedelja, the eighth day after Pasha. When entering the church, there is a plaque on the wall from the outside on the right, stating that the church was built in 1854 – 1856. years. The following municipalities participated in the construction: Bogatićka, Dubljanska, Belotićka and Metkovićka. It is dedicated to the Holy Mother of God and is a true gem of our cultural past. Although the church was completed in 1856. year, several years passed until the church municipality decided to renovate the interior. About it Consistory of the diocese of Šabacka 15. of June 1863, under number 923, the Ministry of Education and Church Affairs reports: “… that the municipality of Bogatić wants to repair its church, and to use its church capital, which was withheld for that purpose with the approval of the Ministry, and was not handed over to the funds management , and since that capital will not be sufficient for the intended purpose, the Consistory asks for your intervention with the relevant ministry so that the change that is missing can be settled with taxes.
“The Ministry responded to this: “We recommend the Consistory to make a contract with the painter, and then respond.” The contract for the creation of the iconostasis of the church in Bogatić was concluded twice; first with Uroš Knežević, which was not completed and the second time with Stevan Todorović. In 1819, the church municipality in Bogatić turned to the Bishopric of Šabac and the Consistory and asked to be granted 1,300 ducats for decorating the temple and painting it. In the same year, on February 2, Dimitrije Berić, a priest, and Živko Daničić submitted two contracts for colorful decoration with Vulo Atanacković, contractor from Belgrade at a price of 2100 ducats. The municipality chose Stevan Todorović, an artist, an experienced, renowned master of religious compositions and portraits. When the contract with V. Atanacković was concluded, the Consistory of the Šabac Diocese informed the Ministry of Education and Church Affairs about everything, with the addition: “The decoration will be done vividly by Mr. Todorović, painter from Belgrade and professor of realism. Along with the contract, Stevan Todorović assured the Consistory that he would carry out the work to the satisfaction of the municipality and the church authorities.” Stevan Todorović was more fortunate than Uroš Knežević, but still, the whole year 1870 was spent in correspondence.
The beginning of the works was related to the money that was already with the Fund Management and the difference that the municipality was supposed to make up through taxes. The iconostasis, as well as the entire interior of the church, were completed only in 1871. The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary is an important cultural monument, placed under the protection of the state. In its chambers, it stores goods of exceptional value with the signature of S. Todorović: Icon of John the Baptist, Icon of Jesus Christ, Below the “Baptism of Christ”, Below the icon of St. Virgin Mary. From the old church that was built in 1795. 54 icons, two filigree crosses, 2 gospels and 20 liturgical books were transferred. On the bishop’s throne is written “Polexija Todorović 1871”, which means that Stevan Todorović was helped by his devoted wife Poleksija during his work. The walls and vault of the church are made in imitation of marble. Frescoes of the “terrible judgment” were painted on the vault itself. On the left side, just above the choir, there is the following note: “Painters Ivan D. Dostevski and Risto Z. Zografski from Samokov 1871.” Samokov is a famous place in Bulgaria, which in the 19th century century gave a whole series of generations of the realistic direction of painting in Bulgaria. With the funds of the Municipality of Bogatić and the Ministry of Culture, the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments from Valjevo carried out in 2008 and 2009. restoration of the historically valuable iconostasis.