Page 217 - Kosovo Metohija Heritage

The Church of Budisavci
The Church of Christ’s Transfiguration near the village of Budisavci, is located 10,5 miles east of the Peć is known as Monastery of Budisavci. The church was built
in the 14th century but it is not known whether it was the endowment of a local Serbian aristocrat or its founder was King Stefan Milutin (1282–1321), as could be assumed due to the partially preserved inscription on a stone tablet built in the eastern side of the apse. Tradition even relates the foundation of this Christian shrine to the sister of King’s Milutin’s daughter and the sister of King Stefan Dečanski (1321–1331).
The edifice of the church has exceptionally harmonious proportions, with the foundation in the shape of equally- legged cross with the apse three-sided from outside: the dome and the narthex which, originally was lower than the existing one from the 19th century. The church dedicated to the Christ’s Transfiguration was built by alternating stone and brick arranged in some parts in a decorative manner. The original fresco paintings were completely destroyed and the church was partially ruined during the Ottoman conquest in 15th century. The monastery was renewed in 1568 by the Serbian patriarch Makarije Sokolović of Peć.
Frescos dating from this period are preserved: they are characterized by the skillful drawing and rich colors, while
Frescos on the south wall
of south arm of the cross, Budisavci
Patriarch Makarije Sokolović,
Serbian founder and renovator, Budisavci, 16th century
the portrait of the patriarch Makarije is considered to be one of the most beautiful portraits in the 16th century Ser- bian art. During the following centuries, various interven- tions were carried out on the church of Budisavci, which remained to be a metochion of the Patriarchate of Peć.
While the most of churches and monasteries within Kosovo and Metohija are under the jurisdiction of the Raška-Prizren diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Patriarchate of Peć and the monastery of Budisavci are under direct jurisdiction of the Serbian patriarch. The most venerated icon of the patron saint of the Budisavci church from late 14th and early 15th century is the jewel of the Bud- isavci treasury.
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