SAINT-GEORGES-LE-MARTYR CHURCH (ГЕОРГИЈ ГЕОРГИЈ ГЕОРГИЈ ЦРКВА)

This Orthodox church (Црква Свети Ѓорѓи/Crkva Sveti Gjorgji) is a masterpiece of Serbo-Byzantine art. It was founded on the site of a Byzantine monastery of the ^eleventh century by the Serbian king Milutin in 1313. He dedicated it to "St. George the Victorious" after his victory against the Ottomans in Gallipoli, near Constantinople. The interior is decorated with remarkable frescoes made between 1313 and 1318 by the two great Greek painters Michaïl Astrapas and Eutychios, to whom we owe the decoration of several churches listed as World Heritage by Unesco, including Ohrid. Although the building has lost its exonarthex (porch), it is well preserved. Its very compact form comes from the previous church of Byzantine-Armenian style, which was built by Armenian craftsmen who fled to Kratovo. In the narthex (vestibule), above the door, the scene of the dormition of the Mother of God appears in the form of a procession. This dynamic effect is very rare, since the dormition is most often a static lamentation. Also in the narthex, the lower part of the north wall houses the damaged portrait of Milutin, who symbolically offers the church to Saint George. To the left stands Simona Palaeologus, the king's fourth wife, who was reputedly very beautiful. Behind this almost unique presentation of the royal couple lies a sordid story. The Byzantine princess was married to Milutin at the age of 5. The union was quickly "consummated" and this rape later prevented Simone from having children.

Dragon tamed. Following the narthex, the naos is covered with frescoes in seven registers. The third is dedicated to St. George: his martyrdom before the walls of Nicomedia, his miracles (including the fall of "pagan" statues), or the episode of the dragon, very particular. Here, the monster has not been struck down but tamed and is held in check by the princess who has just been saved. In the fourth register, the cycle of the Passion of Christ is of interest to musicologists: above the destruction of the idols by Saint George appears the oldest known representation of a modern recorder. Finally, in the sanctuary, the iconostasis retains its original marble structure and two irremovable icons of St. George and the Mother of God, known as Pelagonitissa. The latter, with the Child contorting himself against his loving Mother, is the most famous of a genre that is especially widespread in Pelagonia, around Bitola.