THE MOST UNIQUE CHANDELIERS IN THE WORLD ARE IN SERBIA: Oldest church in Belgrade made from ammunition (PHOTO)
The oldest Serbian church which has a painful history is adorned with chandeliers made of rifle and pistol bullets, cannon ammunition, officers' sabers and parts of Serbian military coffins
Once a gunpowder warehouse, Ruzica Church, the oldest shrine in Belgrade and the most interesting place of worship, has the most unique chandeliers in the world.
These magic chandeliers, or Polyleos, that attract special attention of the church, which is "hiding" in the walls of Kalemegdan, are made of rifle and pistol cartridges, Serbian officers' swords, cannonballs and parts of military coffins. The work of the experts of the former Military Bureau in Kragujevac.
The appearance and meaning of the chandeliers have been repeatedly misinterpreted, but their symbolism is purely related to the First World War.
- Polyeleos means "bright with a lot of oil," and this brings us back to the symbolism of the lamp - the father Dusko explains. - The we light the lamp for our own prayer and spiritual rise. This light and prayer constantly dripping tears on the weapons are needed to glow with a message that such kind of foolishness should never happen - as it was the First World War - explained at the time one of the elders of the church Dusko Jovicic.
And, how a chandelier can be from ammunition?
Ruzica Church of the Virgin, in fact, in the 18th century was a gunpowder store, which from 1867 to 1869, was turned into a military church. It was demolished during the First World War and the reconstruction was completed on 11 October 1925.
During this renovation two statues were made, which are molded from artillery shells. One represents lancers of Emperor Dusan, and another infantryman from the Balkan wars. The works were resumed after the war, when the pluming was repaired and the gates of the altar were erected. The greatest works were carried out in 1937, when the chapel of St. Petka was built, a porch and a church home, which was destroyed during the bombing in 1944.
According to tradition, Ruzica was located in the same place as now, because people are respected the source of St. Petka, which flowed under the foundation of the Church of the Virgin Mary.
It is believed that this place of worship is the endowment of one of the three sisters - Ruzica, Marica and Cveta. The narrative is that all three erected at a church on the territory of Belgrade fortress, and called them by their name.
However, until now, history has failed to provide answers to the question of when and who built church Ruzica.
Look at the beautiful holy things: