Saint George's Cathedral (Novi Sad)

Cathedral Church of the Holy Great-Martyr George
Саборни храм Светог великомученика Георгија Saborni hram Svetog velikomučenika Georgija
View of the church
Religion
Affiliation	Serbian Orthodox Church
District	Eparchy of Bačka
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	main church of eparchy
Location
Location	Nikola Pašić Street Novi Sad, Vojvodina, Serbia
Geographic coordinates	45°15′26″N 19°50′53″E
Architecture
Architect(s)	Milan Michal Harminc (1905)
Completed	1860-1905 (1734 foundation)

The Cathedral Church of the Holy Great-Martyr George (Serbian: Саборни храм Светог великомученика Георгија, Saborni hram Svetog velikomučenika Georgija) is the seat of the Serbian Orthodox Eparchy of Bačka, located in Novi Sad, northern Serbia. The present-day church was completed in 1905, on the ruins of a church built in 1734 and destroyed in 1849. It is located next to the Eparchy offices in the Bishop's Palace, in Nikola Pašić Street. It is commonly known as Saborna crkva ('Cathedral Church') among the city residents.

History

An older church in the baroque style began building in 1720, and extended in 1734, during the time of Empress Maria Theresia, Patriarch Arsenije IV Jovanović and Archpriest Visarion Pavlović. It was burnt down in a bombing in 1849, during the Revolutions in the Habsburg areas. The planning of the present-day church began in 1851, and it was built between 1860 and 1880 on the ruins of the old one, with further renovations and completion by 1905 under design by architect Milan Michal Harminc, during the office of Mitrofan Šević. A new tower with new bells from Budapest was added during the rebuilding.

Characteristics

The cathedral is dedicated to Saint George. The church interior includes an iconostasis with 33 icons, historical pictures above both choirs (coronation of Stefan the First-Crowned and Saint Sava pacifying his brothers Stefan and Vukan), as well as two large throne icons of Saint Sava and Virgin Mary, painted by renowned academic Paja Jovanović, which are considered to be his best ecclesiastical works. The wall paintings were made by Stevan Aleksić. It is one of the foremost monuments of the religious architecture in Novi Sad.

The Theophany Cross (Serbian: Богојављенски крст, Bogojavljenski krst), also known as the Cross of the Holy vow (Serbian: Заветни крст, Zavetni krst), located in the church's courtyard is the oldest surviving monuments in Novi Sad, dating back to the 18th century. The monument was damaged during the Hungarian revolution of 1848 and was repaired with the financial aid of Marija Trandafil in 1867. The monument was originally located at the corner of modern day Zmaj Jovina and Miletićeve streets, before it was moved to its current location in 1956. It is made of rose colored marble, with a half a meter tall cross.

Gallery

• 
  Saint George's Cathedral, 1902
• 
  Saint George's Cathedral side profile
• 
  Church bell tower, built in 1905
• 
  The Theophany Cross monument in the church's courtyard
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  Interior of the church
• 
  Iconostasis of the church, painted by Paja Jovanović
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  Ceiling fresco, painted by Stevan Aleksić
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  Stained glass of Saint George, done by Kantinka Pera Popadić
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  Saint George's Cathedral from Nikole Pašića street
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  Saint George's Cathedral from Zmaj Jovine street
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  Saint George's Cathedral from Republic Square

See also

• Religion in Vojvodina

References

Sources

• Vojislav Matić (2010). The Cathedral Church of Saint George in Novi Sad. Beseda. ISBN 978-86-85869-41-9.