Church of the Theotokos Hodegetria, Mushtisht
Serbian Orthodox church near Suva Reka, Kosovo
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The Church of the Theotokos Hodegetria (Serbian: Црква Богородице Одигитриjе, romanized: Crkva Bogorodice Odigitrije; Albanian: Kisha e Virgjëreshës së Shenjtë në Hodegetri) was a 14th-century Serbian Orthodox church in Mušutište, near Suva Reka, Kosovo,. The church was destroyed by Kosovar Albanian forces during the destruction of the Serbian part of Mushtisht, after the end of the Kosovo war in 1999.[1]
| Church of the Theotokos Hodegetria Црква Св. Богородице Одигитрије Kisha e Virgjëreshës së Shenjtë në Hodegetri | |
|---|---|
Church of Virgin Hodegetria before destruction | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Serbian Orthodox |
| Location | |
| Location | Mushtisht, Kosovo |
| Architecture | |
| Founder | Jovan Dragoslav |
| Completed | 1315 |
| Demolished | 1999 |
| Official name: Crkva Sv. Bogorodice Odigitrije | |
| Type | Cultural monument of Exceptional Importance |
| Designated | 27 November 1948 |
| Reference no. | SK 1414 |
History
The church was built as an endowment by Serbian nobleman Jovan Dragoslav in 1315. The inscription at the entrance of the church was considered one of the oldest and most accomplished Serbian epigraphic texts of its kind. It was an inscribed-cross church with a semi-dome and a semi-round apse. The wall was built of alternating rows of bricks and stone cubes. The frescoes of the Mušutište School, related to the style of the Palaiologos era, were painted between 1316 and 1320 and were famed for their plasticity and the saints' typology were known as the best examples of Serbian art.[2]
In the altar area there was a unique portrait of St Clement of Ohrid. In the north-western corner of the naos there were figures of holy women, the warrior saints Theodore Tyro and Theodore Stratelates, angels, and St Panteleimon. Two throne icons of Christ and The Holy Virgin dated back to the year 1603.[2]
Protection
The church was designed a monument of culture on 27 November 1948. It was inscribed in the list of the Monuments of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1990.[2]