Church of Sts. Peter and Paul, Miliči
Church in Miliči, Slovenia
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The Church of Sts. Peter and Paul (Serbian: Црква светих Петра и Павла, Slovene: Cerkev sv. Petra in Pavla) in Miliči is a Serbian Orthodox church in Slovenia. It is situated on a hill in the western part of the village at an elevation of 274 meters, offering view point towards neighbouring Croatia.[1] The building is surrounded by linden trees.[1] As the village does not have its own Orthodox priest, services are conducted by a priest from Gomirje Monastery in Croatia, who visits on major religious holidays.[2]
| Church of Sts. Peter and Paul | |
|---|---|
Црква Светих Петра и Павла | |
Church of Sts. Peter and Paul | |
 Church of Sts. Peter and Paul | |
| 45°29′33″N 15°21′25″E | |
| Location | Miliči |
| Country | Slovenia |
| Denomination | Serbian Orthodox Church |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Peter and Paul the Apostle |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Metropolitanate of Zagreb and Ljubljana |
History
The Serbian Orthodox community has been present in the White Carniola for over 400 years.[3] Historically, the community settled in the area during the Ottoman Empire conquests in Balkans.[3] As of 2016, approximately 400 ethnic Serbs still lived in the region.[3]
Miliči itself was established as an Uskoks village in White Carniola which together with nearby villages forms a small and distinct historic and cultural region inhabited by Serbs of White Carniola.[4] These settlements were established during the organization of the Military Frontier system which at the time included the southern part of White Carniola.[1]
The Orthodox Church in Miliči, built around 1856, is one of two Orthodox churches in the region.[3]
The church underwent major renovations in 2016, including restoration of its roof and facade.[3] Every year on 12 July, the Church of Sts. Peter and Paul in Miliči hosts the celebration of Petrovdan, the village Slava (patronal feast).[5]
Architecture
The Church of Sts. Peter and Paul, built in the mid-19th century, is a single-nave building with Neo-Romantic elements.[1] It features a multi-section roof with a central gable oriented northwest–southeast, a bell tower on the northwest side, and an interior iconostasis made by the Jereb workshop in Metlika.[1] A memorial plaque records the church's renovation, carried out by the Serbian Orthodox parish of Marindol with state support.[1]
Cemetery
About 800 meters from the church, a secluded fenced cemetery is located in the forest.[1] According to oral tradition, the site was chosen by ancestors fleeing Ottoman attacks, who brought the remains of earlier generations for protection.[1] The cemetery preserves wooden crosses and some 19th-century stone tombstones, with inscriptions primarily in Serbian Cyrillic and Latin scripts.[1][6] The oldest stone grave belongs to forester Pavle Milić (1844–1911).[1]