On the elevation known as Metoh, overlooking the tucked-away, hilly village of Gornji Matejevac near Niš, stands the Latin Church — one of the oldest Byzantine churches in Serbia, serving as a silent witness to the city’s past.
Built during the reign of Byzantine Emperor Basil II, by order of a local dignitary during the restoration of Byzantine rule in the region, the church holds significant historical importance.
It was named the “Latin” Church after the Latin merchants from Dubrovnik who passed through and used it for over two centuries. Among locals, it is also known as the “Great Church” and, by older residents, as the Church of the Holy Trinity of the Rusalii, or, as early researchers recorded, the Holy Virgin of the Rusalii. The term “Rusalii” in both names indicates the church’s remarkable antiquity.
“This was the route for Dubrovnik caravans. For over two centuries, the church was given to Catholics passing through for their religious holidays. Even today, Catholics know of it, come here, and pray. They are very respectful of our faith and the church itself,” says Selomir Marković Sele, who has voluntarily maintained the Čegar Monument with his family for 36 years and occasionally guides visitors to the church, which has no caretaker.
The people of Matejevac proudly recall that one of the first schools in the Balkans was located just a few meters from the Latin Church.
“For centuries, there was a school and boarding house here where wealthy children from across the Balkans came to study. It was a bustling place with thriving trade. Nearby is a part of the village called Banjica, known for its warm spring water, used even in winter. During the Ottoman era, inns stood here because the Turks wouldn’t allow caravans into the city and fortress of Niš until they had stayed in Banjica for five to seven days to ensure they weren’t bringing diseases from the Middle East. Only then were they allowed to enter the city and trade,” explains Marković.
The church remained abandoned for many centuries after the Latin merchants and was in a state of ruin until recently, when it was preserved thanks to the initiative of art historian Miša Rakocija.
“The church in Gornji Matejevac is a single-nave structure in the form of a compact elongated inscribed cross with a dome. A later-added narthex adjoins its western side, occupying a smaller area than the nave. Only the foundation remains of the narthex. To the east is a semicircular altar apse with a semi-dome, spanning the entire width of the nave and lower than the eastern bay. The interior is divided by pilasters into three rectangular bays of unequal size. The church’s exterior features Byzantine motifs in ceramic-plastic decoration,” explains art historian Miša Rakocija.
Architectural forms and masterful construction techniques have secured the Matejevac church a prominent place in Byzantine architectural history, influencing builders whose work would later define Serbian architecture.
Locals are pleased that the church’s access road and entrance have finally been renovated, with ongoing work on paving the access path and building a parking lot.
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Source: Novosti, Foto: J. Ćosin