One of the most representative sacral objects, built by the example of the church Uspenie na Presveta Bogorodica (Dormition of the Virgin) in Novo Selo - Štip that was built by the proto-master Andreja Damjanov, is the church St.Nikola in Štip, built on the site of the old Sifieva church dedicated to St. Nikola (1341) by the master constructor Gjorgi Novakov-Dzongar. For the renewal-rebuilding of this church witnesses the inscription board built-in above the main western entrance, whose text says that the church was constructed in the time of the Metropolitan of Kustendil and Stip - Ignatija, 10th of May 1867.
The gallery was formed in 1990 and accommodates rich fund of art works from the churches and monasteries from Bregalnica region. The gallery exhibition, enriched with the icons of the great iconostasis of the church’s naos, the fresco-decorations and abundantly engraved baldachin (semicircular board leaned on four poles in the altar where the holy communion is exercised), are real rarities for the historical fine arts church past on this soil. This exhibition is comprised by art works-icons, done by many of our known and anonymous zographs (icon painters) who worked in the churches and monasteries of Eastern Macedonia in the 17th, 17th and 19th century, as well as old printed church books, gilded putiri (glasses for communion), engraved silver crosses, relics, and other valuable sacral exhibits.
In the southern part of the gallery of this church 29 icons are presented that date from 18th and 19th century, by the icon painters: Dziko from village Osoj, Konstantin zograph, Petre Novev Pacarev from village Tresonce, Krste zograph from Veles, Adamce zograph and others.
We would list the following icons: St. Kirik and Julita, Nativity of Christ, Holy Trinity, Virgin Mary and Christ, St. Jovan with the zitie (saint’s biography) etc.
In the western part of the gallery 32 icons are presented, most of them dating from 19th century. Painters of these icons were: Danail Kocov from Stip, Stanislav Dospeski, Krste zograph from Veles and others.
More significant amongst them are the ones presenting Jesus Christ, St.Nikola Deisis, Holy Mother of God - Umilitelna etc.
In the northern part of the gallery 31 icons are presented, works of the icon painters: Petre Novev, Isaija Debarlija, Konstantin Andonov.
With its painting and colors distinguish the icons with presentation of St. Simeon (one of the twelve Christ’s apostles), St. Mina, Baptizing of Christ and others.
On the iconostasis in the northern chapel there are 16 icons, works of the authors: Krste from Veles, Atanasie, Dziko from Osoj, Atanas from Krusevo etc. We underline the icons: St. Pantelejmon, St. Apostle Filip and St. Jovan. On the iconostasis ni the southern chapel there are 13 icons, most of them painted by the icon painter Krste from Veles. We mention: Transfiguration of Christ, Apostle Toma, St. Dimitrija and others.
The attention of the visitors is primarily attracted by the icons that are situated on the large iconostasis in the naos of the church and there are 67 of them, all of them are works of one of the most famous zographs from 19th century, more precisely from 1890, and this is the icon painter Dimitar A. Papradiski.
From all of them we emphasize the icons with presentation of the Assembly of Apostles, the Apostle Pavle, St. Haralampie, St. Simeon Stolpnik, The Annunciation, the Archangel Gabriel etc.
In the gallery space of this church there are seven showcases where more Psalters (books with various church texts) have been exhibited, printed in Moscow in the first half of the 19th century.
Minei (books describing all services for celebrating Holy Mother of God, St. Jovan Preteca (St. John Forerunner) and other saints, divided into twelve months);
Gospels (books with texts of the four Evangelists: Mateja, Marko, Luka and Jovan);
Trebnici (books that speak about the haircut of the monks, the burial customs, water baptizing etc);
Amongst the church exhibits in these showcases there are several wedding crowns dated late 19th century, more silver Ibrici (vessels in a form of jag that priests used for washing), putiri (silvered and gilded cups for communion), cups with silver spoons for communion, silvered crosses for kissing, silvered icon lamps and many others.
At the end we would only add that this gallery exhibition in this representative church with its exhibits that show the beauty and the values of the sacral cultural heritage owned by Bregalnica region, is an important part of people’s life in our renaissance history. The visitor really has what to see and to delight himself spiritually in the church museum-gallery in the church St. Nikola in the town of Stip.
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