Miraculous story of a church near Vucje illustrates the strength of Serbs' faith even in most difficult times

A new shrine emerged a few centuries later on the ruins of a church demolished by the Turks; it was built thanks to a local family of industrialists, and a famous Russian architect

Russian architect Grigory Samoilov designed the Church of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist (Serbian: Crkva Rodjenja St. Jovana Krstitelja) on the slopes of Mt. Kukavica, near Leskovac. Many consider it to be the most significant example of church architecture between the First and Second World wars in Serbia.

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The shrine was built on the site of a medieval church that was destroyed by Turkish occupiers of Serbia.

Despite the fact that only ruins had remained of the original place of worship, the story of its existence was passed down from generation to generation, so people would still continue to gather at the site on major holidays.

Such devotion of the believers propmpted the Teokarovic family of industrialists to build a new church on the same site after the First World War. The famous Russian professor and architect was hired to design it, and many believe, left the most wonderful legacy of his rich career in the beautiful surroundings of Vucje.

Considering that Samoilov also designed, among others, the building of the Theater on Terazije Square in Belgrade, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Banja Luka, as well as the building housing the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Technology in Belgrade, it is clear how high his professional standards were.

The shrine near Vucje is made of a special type of rock from the Kukavica Mountain, it is vividly painted on marble plaster in the Russian Baroque style, while the architect, amazed by the environment in which the church is located and eager to weave as much of his knowledge and talent into its design as possible, painted the iconostasis himself.

This Serbian Orthodox church was consecrated in 1938 with 20,000 people attending the ceremony. Even today, it is a gathering place for residents of Vucje and those from the surrounding villages, as well as for tourists who visit the beautiful canyon of the Vucjanka River.

Photo: Ivan Strahinic

(Ona.rs)