Sacred Church Of Notre Dame - "Virgin Mary", Bitola

Short Description of the Church

The temple dedicated to the mother of God, "Nativity of holy Virgin Mary", is located in the immediate proximity of the river Dragor and the old market-place in Bitola.

It dates from the 19th century and it is of a three-nave basilica type with three-sided apse on the east side and colonnades on the three sides where galleries exist. There is an octagonal drum with a single window on each side, located over the central nave. The multi-cornered main dome, with a spire ball and a cross on top, is a reflection of baroque influences, which speaks of an existence of several styles in the architectonic realization of this church temple.

The "Church of Virgin Mary" is constructed using bricks in combination with wooden roof construction, whereas floors are paved with marble. The temple can be entered into from three sides, whereas the north and south entrances are decorated with facade decorations, as a triumphal portal.

There are two tombs on the west and north side of the church. One of them is like a mausoleum with baroque looks, in which in year 1901, the creator of the Metropolis, metropolitan Grigorij was buried. The first Metropolitan of Prespa and Bitola, Clement, was buried in the second one in 1979. Another three tombs of clergymen are located in the churchyard.

During the bombardment of Bitola, on August 4th, 1917, this church was partly destroyed. As a result, several years later, the church administration took charge of some efforts for its renovation, also making some new additions for the needs of the church.

Engraved works dating from the 20th century in Bitola can be found at iconostases in several churches: "St. Great Martyr Dimitrij", "St. Mother of Christ", as well as in "St. Petka" in the village of Maloviste near Bitola.

There is an interesting historical data about the iconostas in the church "St. Mother of Christ". It represents a combination of two iconostases that were brought from churches in Magarevo and Trnovo near Bitola, iconostases that were damaged and demolished during World War I. The iconostases from these two churches were dismantled and packaged in two hundred wooden trunks, in order to be transported to Bulgaria. However, as a result of difficult conditions of that time, the trunks remained in Veles, and afterwards were returned to Bitola. Some of the decorative elements of the iconostases disappeared forever, probably because the Bulgarian soldiers were taking them as souvenirs, and the remaining parts were taken to the church in Bitola that did not have an iconostas at that time. According to some theories by professionals, this iconostas is a work of art of the Miyak engravers. The most impressive feature of the iconostas is the arc above the imperial quarters with modeled figures of Jesus Christ and the twelve apostles.

Besides the iconostas, in the temple of Notre Dame there are also some other wood-engraved items, like the bishop's throne made in the spirit of Miyak engravers, several icon frames and five wooden engraved pillars shaped like thrones of more recent history.

The fresco-art originates from two periods. The first period is from the end of the 20th century, and the second begins from the end of World War I and lasts to the present day. Businessmen and citizens from Bitola and the surrounding area, via their voluntary contributions have made possible for this church to be adorned with icons and frescos. The authors of a major part of the icons had a vast knowledge of iconography schemes of the New Testament. Icons are produced with a great sense for color, where most dominant are shades of red, green and ocher. The abundance of golden ornaments is easily noticeable and this points out to the presence of late-Byzantine artwork and baroque style. On one of these icons, the one that presents St.Dimitrij, there is a signature with the initials D.A.Z., which points out the fact that the icon was produced by the iconographer Dimitar Andonov the zograph in 1889.

Since the iconostas in the temple was not completely finished, believers and handicraftsmen from Bitola continued further on with contributions in order for new icons and frescos to be made. So, after the two world wars have ended, more icon and fresco masters were engaged to carry on working for the church in Bitola. The church treasury is not enriched only by the large number of icons and frescos, but the church also has a large number of other items in its possession, like the putiri made by local masters, one darohranilka of Russian origin, as well as several paintings shoving scenes from the New Testament, brought by pilgrims from Bitola from their pilgrimage in Jerusalem.