Church of St. Archangel Michael

Overview

The church "St. Archangel Michael ”is a cultural value with the status of an architectural and artistic monument of culture, built in 1834. An important historical document for the establishment of the church is a preserved order at the High Gate - Sultan's permission for the construction of church buildings. Christians are allowed to restore destroyed or dilapidated church buildings only on the scale of their previous existence, without increasing in size. The temple was built in 54 days, and the necessary funds to pay the masters were given by donors - Osikovtsi, as evidenced by a preserved stone donation inscription above the front door of the temple. There are no preserved memories and documents for the consecration of the temple. Immediately after its construction, in 1835 a school building was built in the southern part of the churchyard. In 1859 the completion of the church building began, and a vestibule was built from the west. At the same time, the perimeter wicker fence was replaced with solid stone.

Architecturally, the church is a three-nave, one-apse building with two domes, one of which is a bell tower and a narthex from the west, until recently covered with stone slabs. It has an exquisite wood-carved iconostasis with gilding. The iconostasis is the work of the Samokov master Hristo, made of wood and decorated with colorful carvings, with colorful ornaments. The altar icons date from the first half of the 19th century. In 1870 the brothers Naum and Nencho Chibukovi from the village of Selce (Western Macedonia) gilded the iconostasis and painted the altar icons. The church is a place for storing many valuable old printed books in the recent past, some of which were until recently in its possession. In the narthex there are inscriptions on the walls - historical facts from past years. It is commendable that the patriotic and Christ-loving local memory has preserved evidence of the historical past of this ancient church dedicated to St. Archangel Michael.

The church "St. Archangel Michael ”in the village of Osikovitsa has been declared an architectural and artistic monument of culture.