Три престона крста из ризнице Mанастира Грачанице

Abstract

Рад се бави типовима, формом и начинима умет-ничког обликовања престоних крстова из ризнице манастира Грачаница на Косову и Метохији. Три одабрана крста, која се и данас налазе у богослужбеној употреби, припадају типу стојећих репрезентативних престоних крстова, намењених постављању на Часну трпезу. Међусобно различито конципирани, грачанички престони крстови настајали су током XVIII и XIX века, одража-вајући различите паралелне токове и начине визуелне декорације ових богослужбених предмета. Разматрање одабраних крстова доприноси бољем познавању малобројног сачуваног ризничког фонда манастира Грачанице, као и типологије престоних крстова заступљених на простору Косова и Метохије у XVIII и XIX веку.

The liturgical objects of the old treasury of monastery Gračanica in Kosovo and Metohija have been lost for centuries and have been unkown to scholars until now. The discontinuity of the monastic life and divine service caused by the coming of the Ottomans resulted in the disappearance of precious objects dating from the time of the foundation of the cathedral church by King Milutin. The treasury was restored and renovated at the beginning of the 19th century. Outstanding among the few objects that have been preserved are three altar crosses of exquisite workmanship dating from the period from the 18th to the late 19th century. The first altar cross is a rare example of 18th century metal crosses from Kosovo and Metohija. Its casing represents a combination of various decorative motifs and is associated with the symbolic connection of altar crosses with the relics of the Holy Cross. Its decoration includes cast icons showing the figures of Jesus Christ and the Holy Martyr George. The influence of this type of altar crosses is also noticeable in cast crosses of simpler workmanship dating from the second half of the 19th century. The second altar cross is based on the old Balkan tradition of carved wooden crosses decorated with silver filigree. The carved scenes shown on this cross point to its sacrificial-redeeming character and its association with the feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross. The third cross, dating from the very end of the 19th century, is a representative example of industrially produced liutrugical objects made under the influence of the Russian cultural sphere. It shows the Crucifixion with the Virgin and St John the Theologos. Above this scene is the figure of God the Father and below it is a representation of Adam’s skull. The handle is decorated with a representation of the Agony in the Garden. On the base of the cross are shown the figures of the Evangelists. The cross was donated to the monastery in 1899 by the Milojković family from Belgrade, which shows the high renown Gračanica enjoyed in the Kingdom of Serbia. The altar crosses described in the paper are testimonies of the development of the monastery and of its religious life in the period from the 18th to the end of the 19th century. As such, they are of considerable value for the study of the Serbian religious culture both in monastery Gračanica and in the broader region of Kosovo and Metohija.