Four icons of the Pazar church in Pirot: Contribution to the spiritual life of the XVIII century

Abstract

Although many people who have made researches related to Pirot questioned the existence of the old church, there is no doubt that before the Pazar Church which was built in the first half of the XIX century, there was an older church in its immediate vicinity. It is presumed that this church was not big although the four icons preserved from the XVIII century, the two of which are of iconostasis, witness about the construction of the screen and point out the beauty and complexity of the iconostasis decoration and painting. One of the preserved icons of the iconostasis is the presentation of the Birth of Christ and originating from 1794, the proof of which is the donor's inscription, and the remaining three icons are recognized to be the work of the same group of icon painters because of the same style and painting characteristics, function and identical dimensions of the icons. Donating was encouraged by the church and believers and was one of the ways the church treasury gained wealth and interiors were furnished and decorated. In the area which was under the Ottoman Empire this was the way to emphasize the importance of the Christian religion and economy of the salvation and at the same time it showed social structure and power of the local community.