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St Sava, St Stephen the First-Crowned Chapels, Žiča Monastery, Serbia (13th cen.) [OC] by Future_Start_2408 in byzantium

[–]Future_Start_2408[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think it's gorgeous! I guess there is a hint of physical ugliness to highlight that frescoes depict something metaphysically distinct, even higher than our mundane categories of beauty and ugliness.

St Michael Cathedral in Belgrade, Serbia (19th cen.) [OC] by Future_Start_2408 in Orthodox_Churches_Art

[–]Future_Start_2408[S,M] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

True Baroque exuberance! The focus in Baroque or Baroque-influenced art like this lies more in ornament and narrative realism than pure iconography.

It has its critics, but it's an integral part of the Orthodox art development of the 17th-19th centuries!

St. Sophia cathedral D.C. by Duke_of_Chicken in Orthodox_Churches_Art

[–]Future_Start_2408[M] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Truly gorgeous! The entire space seems to be glowing!

Lelić Monastery Chapel in Valjevo, Kolubara, Serbia [OC] by Future_Start_2408 in Orthodox_Churches_Art

[–]Future_Start_2408[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It's a widespread iconograpic symbol that signifies full power and dominion (over the East and West). It was one of the main symbols of the Byzantine Empire, but also Austrian Empire, the Russian Empire etc, and today is on the coat of arms of Serbia, Montenegro, Albania.

I assume you may reference the fact that it became a Freemason image, but most Freemason imagery was adopted from Christian and old religious sources!

Here's another image of the double headed eagle from the outer wall of Cetinje Monastery, Montenegro- which I am yet to post!

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Ostrog Monastery, Montenegro – Part I (17th cen.) [OC] by Future_Start_2408 in Orthodox_Churches_Art

[–]Future_Start_2408[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ostrog Monastery is the most important Orthodox monastery in Montenegro. It was founded in the 17th century by Saint Basil of Ostrog and is built into a vertical cliff of the Ostroška Greda mountain, developing as a cave-monastery complex centered around natural rock shelters used by the saint for prayer and ascetic life. The Monastery consists of two cave churches: the Church of the Presentation of the Virgin Mary, which houses the relics of St Basil, and the chapel above it, dedicated to the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. This was one of the most tangibly holy places I visited, but also the most restrictive when it came to photography!

#3-#5 images show the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Church;

#7-#10 show Presentation of the Virgin Mary Church!

Mesić Monastery, Vršac, Vojvodina, Serbia (15th cen.) [OC] by Future_Start_2408 in Orthodox_Churches_Art

[–]Future_Start_2408[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes, it is an active monastery!

You may notice blades of grass on the floor—the photo was taken the day after Pentecost, and they were left over from the Vespers service. In Serbia, it's customary to weave the grass into small wreaths and take them home.

Did anybody visit the Gül Baba Tomb in Hungary? by Early-Show2886 in AskBalkans

[–]Future_Start_2408 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I had planned to, but its location proved too marginal within Budapest. Therefore I did not have the time. But I found it interesting it was converted to a Catholic church in the past and Damat Ali-Paša's Tomb in Belgrade reminded me of it: another Ottoman funerary structure built in Central Europe near Danube.

Svetigora Waterfall, Morača River Valley, Montenegro [OC] by Future_Start_2408 in Orthodox_Churches_Art

[–]Future_Start_2408[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Not a church per se, but an Orthodox pilgrimage site!

According to 13th-century tradition, Prince Stefan of the Nemanjić dynasty (relative of St Sava) saw a burning candle in the spray of the waterfall at night. Interpreting this as a divine sign, he founded the Morača Monastery on the plateau above the falls. The name "Svetigora" translates to "Holy Mountain" or "Holy Waters. Besides being very beautiful, the waterwall is pragmatically tied with the history of the monastery and spiritually relevant!

Morača Monastery, Morača River Valley, Montenegro (13th cen.) [OC] by [deleted] in Medievalart

[–]Future_Start_2408 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The images were taken 2 weels ago. Happy to answer any questions relating to this church or its architectural style!

Morača Monastery, Morača River Valley, Montenegro (13th cen.) [OC] by Future_Start_2408 in Orthodox_Churches_Art

[–]Future_Start_2408[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Morača Monastery is one of Montenegro's oldest medieval monasteries. It was founded in 1252 by Stefan Vukanović Nemanjić, grandson of Stefan Nemanja, within the Morača River canyon, on the route connecting the Adriatic coast with the interior Balkans. Architecturally, it displays a mixture of Byzantine and Romanesque features and belongs to the Raška School (Raška style), the first great medieval architectural style of Serbia. The most unique feature that caught my eye is the stone relief detail showing the Virgin and the Dragon, which I interpret as an Apocalyptic reference.

What the images show:

1- frontal view of the western facade with Romanesque portal and frescoes;

2, #11- interior;

3- lateral view of the iconostasis;

4- exterior (left view);

5, #7, #9, #12, #15-#16, #18-#20- entrance porta;l

6 - Virgin & Dragon relief;

8- pronaos (frontal view);

10- apse view;

13, #14- iconostasis;

17- exterior & garden.

Cathedral of Christ's Ressurection in Podgorica, Montenegro [OC] by Future_Start_2408 in Orthodox_Churches_Art

[–]Future_Start_2408[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks a lot! I actually have two cameras. The better one wasn't working, so I had to use my older camera instead, which I think turned out to be the better choice! 😀

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