HRISTINA STANEVA , RALITSA ROUSSEVA

THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

ARCHITECTURE, WALL PAINTINGS, CONSERVATION
Published with the kind support of the A. G. Leventis Foundation.

The book presents the research and conservation of the church of St Demetrius
completed by ICOMOS/BULGARIA and is dedicated to the 30th anniversary (1979–2009) of The Foundation.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, in any form
or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher.

THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

Hristina Staneva, Ralitsa Rousseva

© Arch. Hristina Staneva; Dr. Ralitsa Rousseva, PhD., 2009

© Rosen Kolev, Photographer
© Katerina Popova, English Translation, 2009

© Vessela Publishers, 2009

Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Vesselina Zapryanova, Graphic design and layout

Printed in Plovdiv, Bulgaria

by Poligraphkomers Ltd.

ISBN 978–954–92396–4–5
 A. G. LEVENTIS FOUNDATION

THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS

IN BOBOSHEVO
ARCHITECTURE, WALL PAINTINGS, CONSERVATION

HRISTINA STANEVA , RALITSA ROUSSEVA

Sofia, 2009
Foreword

The restoration of the Church of St Demetrius in Boboshevo is a remarkable example of international collaboration as well as of
the possibilities of cooperation between a non-governmental organization and public authorities.

I remember how at the beginning of the 1990s Prof. Elka Bakalova shared with me, the president of ICOMOS/Bulgaria at the time,
her concern about the tragic condition of this valuable mediaeval monument which was literally falling apart before our eyes. These
were desperate times for the fate of Bulgaria’s cultural heritage, as state funding for preservation had truly collapsed. It was precisely
then that ICOMOS/Bulgaria proved itself to be an effective partner of the State in preserving the national cultural heritage.

In seeking a solution, I was advised by my colleague and friend Sophocles Hadjisavvas, the then president of ICOMOS/Cyprus,
that we should nominate the church for financial assistance from the Leventis Foundation. Our proposal was accepted and in 1998
the Foundation awarded us a grant for the restoration of the Church of St Demetrius; later, in 2002, it also provided a second grant
for the conservation of the artistic assets of the church. This generosity of the Foundation during a difficult time for Bulgarian cultural
heritage was truly invaluable.

Although it is small in size, the church posed extremely difficult and complicated problems which required great erudition in con-
servation. No one was better suited to head the multidisciplinary team than Hristina Staneva – not just because of her professional
competence but also because of her ability to dedicate herself completely and to conduct dialogue between specialists, central and
local authorities, and international partners. And she indeed dedicated herself completely to the cause of saving the church. Her coor-
dination, as author of the architectural project, with the teams responsible for conservation, structural, technological, air-conditioning
and other works, was impeccable; her ability to establish consensus between experts, contractors and public authorities was amazing.
Especially fruitful was her partnership with Mr Boris Hadjiev, representative of the Leventis Foundation, who is just as committed to
the cause of preserving Bulgaria’s cultural heritage and who cooperated with understanding and readiness. From 2005 Staneva, now
President of ICOMOS/Bulgaria, conducted the last, most delicate stage in the restoration process.

I am reminded of all this today, when Hristina is no longer among us. The Church of St Demetrius is part of her remarkable
contribution in the field of conservation and the last highlight in a professional career full of significance and meaning. For the his-
tory of Bulgarian conservation, this church will be a magnificent example of professional intervention motivated by respect for the
original. For me, it is also a dear memory of Hristina – of her stimulating, partner-like, completely dedicated way of working for the
preservation of cultural heritage.

Prof. Todor Krastev

Honorary President of ICOMOS/Bulgaria
Honorary Member of ICOMOS
Contents
Preface (Hristina Staneva) 9
І. THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO (Ralitsa Rousseva) 11
1. History of the Monastery 12
2. Studies on the Wall Paintings in the Church 16
3. Monumental Painting in Bulgaria in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries 18
ІI. ARCHITECTURE AND ARCITECTURAL RESTORATION (Hristina Staneva) 21
1. Description 22
2. Condition of the Church Prior to the Intervention in 2001 22
3. Conservation and Restoration 26
4. Structural Consolidation and Restoration of the Church 28
5. Conservation of the Wall Paintings and Overall Display of the Church of St Demetrius 33
III. ICONOGRAPHIC PROGRAMME (Ralitsa Rousseva) 35
1. Altar Programme 36
2. Vault Programme 50
3. Medallion Frieze with Prophets 52
4. New Testament Scenes 53
Cycle of Great Feasts 54
Cycle of the Passion of Christ 66
5. Scenes from the Life of St Demetrius 81
6. Saints 88
Medallion Frieze with Saints
Figures of Standing Saints
7. Wall Paintings on the Western Façade 100
ІV. NOTES ON THE EPIGRAPHIC MATERIAL IN THE CHURCH (Ralitsa Rousseva) 125
V. THEMES, STYLE AND AUTHORS OF THE WALL PAINTINGS (Ralitsa Rousseva) 129
VI. THE ICONOSTASIS OF THE CHURCH (Ralitsa Rousseva) 139
VII. SURVEY AND CONSERVATION OF THE WALL PAINTINGS AND OF THE ICONOSTASIS (Lyuba Krasovska) 153
1. Conservation Programme 161
2. The Iconostasis 163
BIBLIOGRAPHY 165
ABREVIATIONS 170
Preface

The Church of St Demetrius in the village of Boboshevo is one of the few mediaeval monuments in Bulgaria that were completely
restored after 1989. This extremely valuable religious monument was in a derelict condition due to lack of proper maintenance fol-
lowing the collapse of state funding for heritage preservation in the last fifteen years, and was at risk of being lost. The operation to
“save” the Church of St Demetrius in Boboshevo, conducted in the last few years, was a team effort that could serve as a model of
cooperation between non-governmental organizations, state institutions and local authorities committed to preserving national cul-
tural heritage properties. The purpose of this publication is to present the main aspects of the process –coordination, multidisciplinary
approach, organizational and technological sequence, management and results – which occurred during work on one of the most
complicated conservation-restoration projects to date.

This publication presents surveys and analyses of the condition of the church, as well as a series of unique restoration solutions
developed to resolve the specific problems of this remarkable monument of mediaeval Bulgarian art.

The Church of St Demetrius is also interesting for its historical context. It is located in the Vlahina Mountain, four kilometres from
the village of Boboshevo and about forty kilometres from the Rila Monastery, on the pilgrims’ route to Mount Athos, in an area with
a specific cultural landscape and rich cultural heritage. There is historical evidence of the existence here of a tenth-century mediaeval
monastery complex connected with the most venerated Bulgarian saint, St John of Rila. He was born in the village of Skrino, near
Boboshevo, and became the most famous Bulgarian hermit. Before he retired to the Rila Mountain, he spent some time in this mon-
astery “for instruction”, (according to the saint’s Vita by Euthymius of Tarnovo) and he was probably ordained as a monk here. The
monastery was destroyed during the Ottoman conquest of Bulgaria. The church was restored in the 1480s, which makes it one of the
first churches to be rebuilt during that early period of Ottoman rule in the Bulgarian lands.

The significance of the Church of St Demetrius for Bulgarian culture is determined primarily by the high quality of the wall paint-
ings, as well as by the fact that it is one of the few preserved examples of the architectural and artistic trend in church construction in
the western Bulgarian lands in the fifteenth century. The church has been designated a monument of architectural art (State Gazette
No. 77/1968) and an artistic heritage asset (State Gazette No. 38/1972) of national significance.

The wall paintings are interesting not just for their specific artistic and technological features but also as an object for detailed
research of the iconographic programme. They were painted by different artists and their study as works of art makes it possible to
interpret and date the separate stratigraphic layers of the monument.

Hristina Staneva
Sofia, April 2009
І. THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS
IN BOBOSHEVO
 12 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
1. History of the Monastery
The village of Boboshevo may have existed under the name
of Dolna Sateska as early as the First Bulgarian Empire.1 The char-
ters granted by the Bulgarian tsars Ivan Alexander and Ivan Shish-
man to the Oryahov Monastery (known as the Oryahov or Mraka
Charter)2 and Rila Monastery3 respectively, indicate that the vil-
lages of Skrino and Karchino, and therefore Boboshevo as well,
were within the boundaries of the Second Bulgarian Empire. Dur-
ing the period of Ottoman rule Boboshevo was within the Sanjak
of Kyustendil, which was established on the territory of the former
principality of the Dragaš clan. After the death of the last ruler
of the principality, Constantine Dragaš, it passed under Ottoman
rule without devastating battles and destruction. From the fifteenth
century onwards this territory came to be known as “Constantin-
ian land”, a name first mentioned in the vita of Despot Stefan
Lazarević by Constantine of Kostenets. This is also where the name
of the town of Kyustendil, “Kostadin-ili”, comes from4. The village
was first mentioned under the name of Boboshevo in the sixteenth
century, in a 1526 defter (register) from the time of Suleyman the
1
Кепов, И. Минало и сегашно на Бобошево. София 1935, 122-124;
Снегаров, И. История на Охридската архиепископия. v. 1, Second edi-
tion, София, 1995, 178; ГИБИ. v. ХІ, София, 1965, 40-42.
2
Дуйчев, И. Старата българска книжнина. кн. 2, София, 1943,
130-134; Даскалова, А., М. Райкова. Грамоти на българските царе.
София, 2005, 41-43.
3
Дуйчев, И. Op. cit., 177-182; Даскалова, А., Райкова М. Op. cit.,
44-46.
4
Матанов, Х. Възникване и облик на Кюстендилски санджак през ХV-
ХVІ век. София, 2000.
Magnificent (1520–1556),5 where the list of property owned by
Rila Monastery includes a vineyard in Boboshevo.6 Machiel Kiel
cites another Ottoman register, from 1573, where Boboshevo is
mentioned as a mülk (private property) of Ismihan Sultan, daugh-
ter of Selim ІІ (1566–1574) and wife of Grand Vizier Sokollu Me-
hmed Paşa (Mehmed Sokolović).7 The register in question states
that the villages of Boboshevo and Ilkovtsi are granted as a mülk
to Еsmihan Sultan and that the population in them is exempted
from some taxes and duties as well as from the taking of boys to
become Janissaries. Civil servants were also banned from entering
these villages.8
In the ninth century the Ruen mountain and its eastern foot-
hills were a centre of active church and religious life. It is thought
that the Monastery of St Demetrius was originally located slightly
north of its present site – above the village of Skrino, near the area
of Peshterata, Boroveto and Sveta Voda. According to local legend,
it was precisely at the Ruen Monastery of St Demetrius that St John
of Rila first retired from the world and took monastic vows. At
some point the monastery declined and the centre of church life
moved to Rila Monastery.9
The monastery was not damaged during the Ottoman con-
5
Ихчиев, Д. Турските документи на Рилския манастир. София, 1910,
237-238.
6
Кепов, И. Op. cit., 6-14.
7
Kiel, M. Art and Society of Bulgaria in the Turkish Period, Van Gorcum/
Assen/Maastricht 1985, 109-111.
8
Турски документи за историjата на македонскиот народ. Скопиjе,
1995, v. V, кн. V, 109-119.
9
Кепов, И. Op. cit, 170-187; Чавръков, Г. Български манастири,
София 2000, 156-157.
 14 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
quest of the region as Murad I (1359–1389) ceded it to his vassal
Constantine, ruler of Velbazhd. Moreover, Murad’s army marched
to Kosovo via Samokov, Dupnitsa and Velbazhd, without passing
through the southern part of the Dupnitsa area where the monas-
tery was located. Murad I declared Boboshevo a has (fief) and gave
it to his daughter Idsmihan, granting it various privileges.10 Still, at
some point the monastery was attacked by the Turks and “some
of the monks were killed while others fled”. Although we do not
know exactly when this happened, it was most probably after the
death of Bayezid I, during the civil war among his sons Suleyman,
Musa Keseci and Mehmed Çelebi. This civil war lasted ten years
(1403–1413).
Religious life in Boboshevo developed almost uninterruptedly
during the Middle Ages and throughout the period of Ottoman rule,
as evidenced by the five extant churches dating from the twelfth to
the nineteenth centuries. The earliest one is the cruciform Church
of SS Theodores, whose building has been dated to the late elev-
enth/early twelfth century. Only insignificant traces remain of the
11
first layer of paintings in the church; the second layer has been pre-
served fragmentarily and can be dated to the late fifteenth/early
sixteenth centuries. The wall paintings are the work of two artists,
12
one of whom was highly skilled and painted the inscriptions in
Greek, while the other was obviously poorly schooled and painted
the inscriptions in Bulgarian. The single-aisled, vaulted Church of
St Athanasius dates from the sixteenth-seventeenth centuries; its
paintings are fully preserved but in poor condition, while the do-
nor’s inscription is partly preserved and according to some scholars
10
Кепов, И. Op. cit.
11
Мавродинов, Н. Еднокорабната и кръстовидната църква по бъл-
гарските земи до края на ХІV в., София 1931, 61-62.
12
According to G. Subotić, the paintings are the work of the artists who
painted the Church of St Nicholas tou Magaliou in Kastoria, Суботић, Г.
Костурска сликарска школа. Наслеђе и образовање домаћих ра-
дионица. Гл.САНУ, СССLXXXIV, Одељење историјских наука, кн.10,
1998, 125-126.
carries the date 1590, which is not entirely certain. The Church of
St Athanasius had a monastic school, from which two manuscripts
have survived: a Tetraevangelion (sixteenth-seventeenth centu-
ries), and a Damaskin with a marginal note mentioning that it was
created in the Church of St Athanasius in 1743-44.13 The Church of
the Prophet Elijah was built and painted in 1678, according to the
donor’s inscription; it, too, is a single-aisled, vaulted church and
its paintings are in good condition.14 The large Church of the Holy
Virgin was built in the nineteenth century.
The Monastery of St Demetrius was restored under Sultan
Bayezid II (1481–1512), though not on its original site as the leg-
end goes, but to the southwest, in the bosom of the Ruen moun-
tain. The Monastery is about five kilometres above Boboshevo.
We do not know when it was built; according to I. Kepov, the Ruen
Monastery of St Demetrius was moved here in the early fifteenth
century after its destruction. But even if the monastery was indeed
moved to this site, the church itself was built over an already exist-
ing church structure dating most probably from the second half of
the fourteenth century. This is confirmed by the older foundations
of the church as well as by the extant earlier layer of paintings at a
height of about one metre on the southern wall, and to the sides
of the entrance and on the façade.
According to the donor’s inscription on the western wall above
the entrance, the church was painted in 1488:15
13
Кожухаров, С. Две ръкописни книги. Известия на института за
литература. Кн. ХVІ, София 1965, 147-162.
14
Флорева, Е. Църквата “Пророк Илия” в Бобошево. София 1978.
15
The inscription was published by: Баласчев, Г. Словенски надписи от
Югозападна България. Минало ІІ, кн. 7, София 1911-1913, p. 208;
Иванов Й., Български старини из Македония. София, 1970, 206 and
later by G. Subotić: Суботиќ, Г. Охридската сликарска школа од ХV
век. Охрид 1980, 134.
Donor’s inscription on the western wall above the entrance
¸‰ç˜âî‘ëå“푸åN¡ wöà‰. ¸… ïîñ…ïå“øå˜í¸åN¡ ñíà‘. ¸‰ ñüâ°ðü‘øå‘í¸åN¡ ñòãî˜ äõà.
ñ¸“ ñòü· áæT¡ò“â°í¸¨ õðàN¡. ñòãî“ ¸¨ ñ°ëà“âí˜à“ãî âå“븑ê‰îìk¡÷¨íêà‰ ¸‰ 쑸“ðîòî‰÷ü“öà“
õT¡âà‘ ä‘¸“ì·ò‘ð‘·à“. ïî“òð?专 ¸‰ ïîïè’ñà“ § ñâîäà‘. ¸åðåìîíàa¡ не“w¨ô·òü ñ„ü
ñ¸“í…îâ ¸¸T¡ ïî’ïà“ ä츓ò°ðîN¡ü. ¸¨ áîãDàíîN¡. ïð˜î‰ñò¸a¡ áü‘ à‰ì˜¸”í˜ü. ਠâü ëýU .¤.
ö. ¸“ ^. ¸… ¤. (1487/1488) âü ä퉸‘ öðà“ áà’ÿ“ç¸òü áå“ãà“ w‘áëàDþ‘ùå“ ñ·å
õîðü†¶ wˆñ˜âýùå‘í¸ åï¸ñêîïü êvR¡ ¶“àê˜îâ˜ü†. {
“By the will of the Father, and with the assistance of the Son, and
through the action of the Holy Spirit, this holy and divine temple of
Christ’s holy and glorious Great Martyr and Myrrh-Gusher Demetrius
was built and painted from the vault by Hieromonk Neofit with the
sons, priest Dimitar and Bogdan. May God forgive them, Amen. In the
year 1487/88 in the days of Tsar Bayazit Beg, ruler of these lands, under
the Lord’s consecrated bishop Yakov.”
The Yakov mentioned in the inscription was bishop of Krupnik,
and the Boboshevo area was under his spiritual administration at the
time. Three years later, thanks to the same bishop Yakov, the Church of
the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul at the Orlitsa metochion of the Rila
Monastery was painted as well (1491).
We have no information about the identity or other works of the
painters. The inscription also raises another question: Were Neofit,
Dimitar and Bogdan the painters who decorated the church or were
they the donors? This question is all the more pertinent considering
that in this period church donors came mostly from the clerical com-
munity; it was not until the next century that the practice of group
donations from local residents became common.
The Church of St Demetrius was part of a monastic complex which
became a cultural and educational centre in the region during the first
centuries of Ottoman rule. Although its role in the context of the his-
torical and cultural processes on the Balkans in the fifteenth century
has not yet been sufficiently studied, we have evidence that in the
sixteenth century the monastery already had a monastic school where
monks copied books for the needs both of the monastery and of the
churches of the Holy Prophet Elijah and of St Athanasius in Boboshevo.
 16 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
The names of some monks from the seventeenth to the nineteenth
centuries have been preserved.16 The monastery had a rich library,
which was looted at the end of the nineteenth century. In 1896
17
the Holy Synod ordered that all old manuscript and printed li-
turgical books be collected from the churches and monasteries in
Bulgaria. Manuscripts and icons from the monastery in question
have been preserved and will be discussed below. A silver-gilt
ritual cup depicting the Ascension of the Prophet Elijah made in
1593 by Master Petar Dyak, which is now at the Hermitage in St
Petersburg, also comes from Boboshevo. It is very likely that this
18
cup, too, was made for the needs of the monastery.
2. Studies on the Wall Paintings in the Church
The monastery Church of St Demetrius in Boboshevo is men-
tioned in a number of general historical and ethnographic works.
The history and cultural importance of the monastery are discussed
by I. Kepov in his book about the village of Boboshevo,19 but the
wall paintings in the church have not been the subject of a mono-
graphic study.
On the whole, Bulgarian historians and art historians from the
first half of the twentieth century as well as later, underrated the
monuments from the fifteenth century: for example, B. Filov and
A. Protich only mentione the paintings in the Church of St Dem-
etrius and, furthermore, in a negative context.
The first scholar to devote special attention to the iconograph-
ic peculiarities and style of the wall paintings was A. Grabar, in his
16
Кепов, И. Op. cit.
17
Спространов, Е. Опис на ръкописите в библиотеката на Рилския
манастир. София 1902, 23.
18
Залесская, В. Две серебряные чаши мастеров чипроваца и дуб-
ровника в собрании Эрмитажа. – Византия и византийские традиции.
Санкт-Петербург 1996, 145-154.
19
Кепов, И. Op. cit., 170-187.
opus on Bulgarian religious painting.20 A number of his analyses
are still valid and although some of the scenes are misidentified,
his general theses remain pertinent. It must be noted that many of
the monuments of fourteenth- and fifteenth-century church paint-
ing, which serve as a parallel to the wall paintings in St Demetrius’
and which have changed some iconographic interpretations, were
not known in the 1920s.
The second work in which the wall paintings in Boboshevo are
the subject of special study, this time in the context of art in the
period, is G. Subotić’s book devoted to Ohrid mural painting in
the fifteenth century.21 This author is the first to classify the monu-
ment in the same group as the churches from the Ohrid school of
painting on the basis of its specific iconographic characteristics.
G. Subotić is also the first to present the whole iconographic pro-
gramme, identifying also the scenes that had been misinterpreted
before.22 His book remains the most comprehensive and seminal
study on this monument to date.
M. Garidis also devotes attention to the iconographic ensem-
ble in St Demetrius’ in Boboshevo in his extensive study on Balkan
church art in the period of Ottoman rule.23 He refers mainly to A.
Grabar, but also notes some original elements of the iconography.
The paintings in Boboshevo are also mentioned in some more
general studies on church art in Bulgaria by A. Bozhkov, K. Paskal-
eva, E. Bakalova, Machiel Kiel, G. Chavrakov , G. Gerov and other
scholars.
I completed a research project on “Paintings in the Church
of St Demetrius in Boboshevo” (1999-2001) at the Bulgarian
20
Grabar, A. Le peinture religieuse en Bulgarie. Paris 1928, 306-323.
21
Суботиќ, Г. Охридската сликарска школа од ХV век,134-141.
22
Бакалова, Е. Сръбските учени за монументалната живопис от ХV
век в България. Зборник радова византолошког института, 44-2.
Београд 2007, 493-501.
23
Garidis, M. La peinture murale dans le monde orthodoxe après la
chute de Byzance /1450-1600/ et dans les pays sous domination étran-
gère. Athenes 1989, 94, 102-105, 130-131, 233, 296.
 18 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
Academy of Sciences prior to the current conservation of the
church; since its restoration, I have announced various prob-
lems and aspects of the iconography at a number of scientific
forums. A Corpus of the Fifteenth-Century Monuments of Church
24
Painting in Bulgaria (2008), which lists the scenes and images
in the church and analyzes the epigraphic material, is now in
print. 25
3. Monumental Painting in Bulgaria in the
Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries
From the fifteenth to the nineteenth centuries, the artistic pro-
cesses throughout the Balkans developed under the unfavourable
conditions of Ottoman rule. These conditions were especially dif-
ficult in the Bulgarian lands. Nevertheless, Bulgarian church art
preserved its viability and creativity as its tradition proved to be
sufficiently well-established to enable it to manifest itself indepen-
dently even in the absence of national independence. The Bulgar-
ian spirit and culture were preserved in this period precisely thanks
to the Orthodox faith, which was also reinforced by the heroism of
the many new martyrs who became victims of the non-Christian
enslavers. Their images began to be painted alongside those of
mediaeval Bulgarian and Serbian saints in the churches at Mount
Athos, Bulgaria, Albania and Serbia.
The fifteenth century brought dramatic changes through-
out the Orthodox Balkans, but despite the destructive Ottoman
24
The Murals in the Church of St. Demetrios in Boboshevo after the Last
Restoration. Iconographic and Stylistic Characteristics. Interdisciplinary
Collegium of Old Bulgarian Literature and Culture. Sofia 2005; The
Iconographic Program in the Church of St. Demetrios in Boboshevo. A
New Data after the Last Restoration; International Conference Byzantium
and the Slavs. Sofia 2006.
25
Бакалова, Е., Геров, Г., Андреев, Х. Корпус на паметниците на цър-
ковната живопис в България от ХV в. (collective project at the Institute
of Art Studies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences – in print).
invasion church art in the more peripheral territories succeeded
in continuing its established traditions in the preserved or re-
stored monuments. After the invasions and devastations from
the end of the fourteenth to the mid-fifteenth centuries, the his-
torical situation calmed down towards the end of the fifteenth
century, creating conditions for the revival of artistic life on the
Balkans. Although construction of new churches was resumed
towards the end of the fifteenth century, it was limited to the
architectural type of small single-aisled, vaulted churches. The
large-scale destruction and annihilation of churches and mon-
asteries as well as the prohibition against building tall Christian
houses of worship deprived church culture of spatial visibility.
This also largely predetermined the specific features of church
art in the period.
In the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, as throughout
the post-Byzantine period, the religious life of the Orthodox popu-
lation in the Ottoman Empire was concentrated mainly in the mo-
nastic centres. That is also why most of the donors in this period
came from the monastic community. Until the end of the fifteenth
century, however, there were also individuals from among the last
representatives of the old nobility who continued the tradition of
donating to the construction, decoration or restoration of Ortho-
dox churches, as was the case with the Kremikovtsi and Dragalevtsi
monasteries.
Another very important circumstance was that all Balkan art,
which was mostly church art, had one main, common source: the
Athonite monasteries, in which all Orthodox peoples were repre-
sented. What may be described as a higher school for all Eastern
Christian art in the period was formed there at the time, a school
that would exercise its influence and remain dominant right until
the nineteenth century.
 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
In the fifteenth century two ecclesiastical and cultural cen-
tres which continued to set the trends and to produce new
monuments played a very important role in the development
of monumental painting in Bulgaria, above all in its western
territories: Kastoria and Ohrid. These two centres had close
contacts, therefore the artistic processes in them developed in
a similar way. Kastoria is one of the few Balkan towns that was
never directly affected by the devastations wrought by the in-
vaders and that had almost no Muslim population. Its strong
economy and the circumstance that the town was the seat of
one of the main metropolitanates within the Ohrid Archbish-
opric predetermined the fact that Kastoria not only kept its
traditions alive but also that its artistic life developed almost
without interruption in the fifteenth century. As the seat of an
archbishopric, Ohrid naturally continued to play a significant
role in spiritual life on the Balkans.
The Church of the Virgin Peribleptos in Ohrid, decorated by
the famous painters from Thessalonica Michael and Eutychios in
1295, was especially important to the development of painting in
the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Its wall paintings became
something like a textbook, a model that was reproduced or that
inspired new scenes and interpretations over the next centuries.
The fourteenth century saw the introduction into the iconographic
repertoire of monuments in the Ohrid and Kastoria areas of some
scenes and images that gave painting in the region a specific, dis-
tinctive form and that determined its development in the fifteenth
century as well. In Ohrid in the fourteenth century again, the icon-
ographic programme for cruciform churches was adapted to the
space of small single-aisled, vaulted churches. This transformed
comprehensive programme was also introduced into Bulgarian
fifteenth-century churches.
In addition to Ohrid and Kastoria, we must also mention Veria
19
as an artistic centre that had several painting workshops with dif-
ferent styles in the fifteenth century. It is likely that painters from
these workshops decorated churches not only in the area of Veria
but also elsewhere in the Balkans.26
Several examples of monumental church painting from
the end of the fifteenth century, which form a compact group
both in terms of geographic location and of artistic character-
istics and which demonstrate definite similarity to the icono-
graphic traditions of Ohrid and Kastoria, have been preserved
on the territory of present-day Bulgaria: the wall paintings in
the churches of the Holy Virgin at the Dragalevtsi Monastery
(1476), of St Demetrius in Boboshevo (1488), the Church of
the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul at the Orlitsa Metochion of
the Rila Monastery (1491), of SS Theodores in Boboshevo (late
fifteenth century), of St George at the Kremikovtsi Monastery
(1493), the Poganovo Monastery dedicated to St John the Theo-
logian (1499; on the territory of Serbia). To them one may add
the partly preserved and still not sufficiently studied and accu-
rately dated monuments from the region: the churches of the
Holy Archangels in Goranovtsi, of St Nicholas in Vukovo, of the
Holy Archangels and of St Nicholas in Saparevo. The paintings
in the Ilientsi Monastery in Sofia (1550) may be added as the
last monument connected with this tradition. The artistic level
of those monuments varies – while the paintings in the Draga-
levtsi Monastery and in Boboshevo may be defined as more
primitive, provincial art, those in the Kremikovtsi Monastery
as well as in Poganovo continued the traditions of fourteenth-
century Palaeologan art. In other words, there are two distinct
tendencies in their style: one preserving the “high” style of the
Palaeologan period, and the other marking the beginning of
26
Tsigaridas, E. Monumental Painting in Greek Macedonia during
the Fifteenth Century. In: Holy Image, Holy Space. Icons and
Frescoes from Greece. Athens 1988, 54-60.
 20 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
a new current in painting that was present in church art right
until the end of the seventeenth century. These two stylistic
lines are to be found in the other fifteenth-century monuments
on the Balkans as well. Scholars define them as a classicizing
and an anti-classicizing or archaizing trend, which are discussed
below.
Yet despite the diversity in the style and partly in the repertoire
of those monuments, they display iconographic preferences which
are typical only of the monuments from the Ohrid-Kastoria region.
Of course, besides the compulsory scenes and images found in
all monuments, each of the iconographic programmes includes a
number of different, specific and untraditional solutions.
ІI. ARCHITECTURE AND ARCITECTURAL RESTORATION
 22 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
1. Description
The Church of St Demetrius belongs to the single-nave, one-
apse type of churches, with a semi-cylindrical vault and with wall
paintings covering their interiors and western façades, which were
characteristic of the late mediaeval period in the western Bulgar-
ian lands.
Its small and simple geometric volume has a laconic architectural
design. It is up to 6 m tall and dug into the ground. The main space
in it is a rectangular non-articulated naos, which ends to the east with
a semi-circular apse. The naos is covered by a semi-cylindrical stone
vault, hidden under a gable roof. The walls of the church are 0.7 to
1m thick, built of stones of varying shapes and sizes; freestone and
bricks are used randomly in some places. They are bound with lime
mortar mixed with large-grained sand and, occasionally, mud. The
church does not have a narthex; the entrance is from the west. The
apse and the naos are illuminated by three apertures without win-
dows. The floor is covered with square stone slabs. Remains of the
original wooden iconostasis have been preserved. In the second half
of the nineteenth century a narthex with a wood-frame structure was
built in front of the western façade; the narthex is entered through the
northern façade27.
Old frescoes have been preserved in the church and later ones
on the outer façades. The painted decoration on the walls covers
27
Кепов, Ив. Минало и сегашно на Бобошево (Kepov, I. Past and
Present of Boboshevo). Sofia, 1935, 73, 78. The book cites 1864 as the
year in which the narthex was built by Abbot Sophronius from Teteven.
100 sq m. It was created at different times and by different artists.
According to the donor’s inscription in the naos, the interior was
decorated in 1488 by Hieromonk Neofit and his sons, the priests
Dimitar and Bogdan. The western façade was probably painted at
the same time.
2. Condition of the church prior
to the intervention in 2001
The church was in an alarming condition even at the begin-
ning of the past century, as evidenced by an attempt made in
1932 to strengthen the northern and southern walls. As a result
of these rather clumsy measures, the mediaeval church was al-
most completely “coated” in new masonry (brick wall with a stone
plinth and buttresses). Only the eastern façade retained its original
appearance, indicating what the façades of the mediaeval monu-
ment looked like – stone masonry with levelled joints and minor
admixtures of crushed brick. Unfortunately, this intervention not
only did not contribute to the consolidation of the building, but it
caused increased tensions in the vault and accelerated the destruc-
tive processes in it. In the 1980s, when a large longitudinal crack
had already appeared in the vault, some urgent emergency mea-
sures were undertaken – the heavy weight on the vault was allevi-
ated and a temporary protective cover was built over the church.
These measures, however, not only barred access to the church but
were also utterly insufficient to ensure its permanent preservation.
In 1998 the Church of St Demetrius in the village of Boboshevo
was included in the list of endangered Bulgarian monuments of
THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO 23
 24 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

culture, compiled annually under (Cultural Heritage LTD).

the ICOMOS Heritage at Risk Pro- The main objective of the
gramme. project was to overcome the
critical physical condition of the
In 1998 again, the Bulgarian monument and to display it in its
National Committee of ICOMOS original architectural form. The
prepared and submitted a pre- successful implementation of the
liminary programme for struc- project would permanently elim-
tural consolidation and architec- inate the danger of destruction
tural restoration of the church to of the church and would pro-
the A. G. Leventis Foundation, vide the necessary conditions for
requesting funding for its imple- complete restoration of the wall
mentation. After consultations of paintings and comprehensive so-
the Foundation with the World cialization of the church.
Monument Fund (WMF), the two Prior to the launch of the
organizations decided to jointly structural consolidation and res-
finance this project. Bulgaria’s toration project in 2001, the ar-
Ministry of Culture and National chitectural structure of the church
Institute for Monuments of Cul- was found to be in an extremely
ture (NIMC) fully cooperated in bad condition. The original vault,
the whole process. which in the 1930s had been propped with planks supported by
four wooden columns, had long since lost its geometry and car-
In 2001 a trilateral contract was signed between the A.G. rying capacity, and had “slid” towards the walls. Due to the huge
Leventis Foundation and the WMF on one side, and the Bulgar- cracks between the separate walls, their structural connection was
ian National Committee (BNC) of ICOMOS on the other side, by completely lost. Although it was quite worn out, the protective
which the donors assigned the project implementation to the BNC cover built over the church by the NIMC in 1983 had preserved
of ICOMOS. Initially, a detailed programme for “Consolidation and to a certain extent the roof over the mediaeval part of the church,
Architectural Restoration of the Church of St Demetrius in the Vil- which was uncovered in the 1980s.
lage of Boboshevo” was prepared and coordinated with the Na- As mentioned above, only the eastern façade provided some
tional Institute for Monuments of Culture (NIMC), which included information about the architecture and the original construction
a detailed description of all activities for the implementation, man- of the mediaeval church. However, a number of details, such as
agement and development of the programme to be conducted by the configuration and dimensions of the trimmer joist system, the
the BNC of ICOMOS (through its company Kulturno Nasledstvo presence and location of the braces, and the type of cornices, re-
 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
mained unclear. The following parts of the
mediaeval church were in the most criti-
cal condition: complete disintegration of
the cover and of the roof structure; loss of
strength and stability of the stone vault; de-
formations in the walls – upper wall and
cornices supporting the roof structure in ru-
ins; large cracks at the corners of the walls.
These processes of dilapidation creat-
ed conditions for the loss of the wall paint-
ings. According to the head of the present
team of conservators, Lyuba Krasovska, the
following damages caused by the deforma-
tion of the building, humidity and human
activity, were found on the wall paintings in
the church (in the naos and on the western
façade) in 2001: later plastering on the wall
paintings, cracks and blisters; stratification
of the plastering layer; flaking, powdering,
mechanical damages; later plasterings, ef-
florescence of salts, and dirt deposits on
the painted layer. Of all the wall paintings on the vault, the most
badly damaged areas were those along the huge cracks between
the walls and the vault (the scenes from the upper register), as
well as at the zenith of the vault. Crystallized salts and dirt covered
the whole surface of the vault. The wall paintings on the northern
and southern walls were most badly damaged in the area of the
wooden beams; there was considerable blistering of the original
around the large cracks, as well as missing fragments of the ma-
sonry and plastering.
The paint layer in the area of the frieze with medallions was
destroyed – there were many flaked areas. On the northern wall, at
25
the level of the base of the vault, there was
a symmetrical rectangle of white plastering
over one third of the scene; it is presumed
that the wall paintings there were removed
by the strappo method. However, most of
the wall paintings were preserved, includ-
ing those on the western façade, despite
the fact that it was exposed to the elements
for centuries (Fig. 9). This relatively good
state of preservation of the paintings is due
to the emergency interventions carried out
by the NIMC in two stages. During the first
stage (1983), headed by Lyuba Krasovska,
the later clay, mortar and cement plastering
on the walls of the naos and the western
façade were removed, while the wall paint-
ings were consolidated and the borders
protected.
During the second stage (1987), a
team headed by Albena Mazakova pro-
duced a detailed conservation inventory of
the painted decoration, cleaned, protected the borders and con-
solidated the wall paintings, and studied the physical and mechan-
ical properties of the plastering and of the paint layer.
3. Conservation and Restoration
In accordance with the adopted detailed programme, the ar-
chitectural conservation and display of the church were carried
out between 2001 and 2007. The main conservation activities
performed under the programme were in line with the statutory
regulations, the methodological and technological requirements
on which restoration practice in Bulgaria is based, as well as with
26 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

the specific conditions and characteristics of the site. More

specifically, these activities were the following: geodesic and
photogrammetric recording of the church and of its immedi-
ate surroundings; preparation of a detailed working project for
structural consolidation, architectural restoration and display of
the church; and onservation of the wall paintings; .

Prior to the survey and project design, photogrammetric

recording of the church and of the wall paintings, geodesic re-
cording of the surrounding terrain and photographic recording
of the whole site were carried out by engineer Georgi Hadzhiev
and his team. These activities provided the objective informa-
tion necessary for the preparation of the project for consoli-
dation and architectural restoration of the building as well as
for the ancillary projects, such as those on installing an inner
propping scaffold, on protecting the wall paintings, erecting a
working platform for the restorers, and levelling the work site.
The working project on the structural consolidation, architec-
tural restoration and display of the church had the following
constitutive parts: architecture, structures, water supply and
sewerage, electrical system, building and conservation technol-
ogy, engineering-geological and hydro-geological reports, ven-
tilation and air conditioning.
The restoration of the church, as detailed in the architec-
tural project authored by architect Hristina Staneva, focused on
the idea of restoring the monument to its original form as much
as possible. In pursuing this idea, it was necessary to take into
account the condition of the building at the time, the need to
introduce new elements securing structural consolidation, as
well as the requirements related to the future functions of the
church. The project included: survey and detailed architectural
recording of the building, including of the later construction
interventions in the mediaeval church, the deformations, dam-
 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO 27

ages and web of cracks in its walls; graphic reconstruction

showing the original architectural structure of the monu-
ment, on which the project for architectural restoration was
based. In full coordination with the other specialties, the
project provided for the removal of the later concrete but-
tresses and brick masonry around the mediaeval building,
as well as for restoring the damaged joints in the walls (as
prescribed by the engineer-geologist), which were filled in
two layers (the first layer was intended to secure structural
consolidation, and the second layer – to imitate the colour
and texture of the original). The project gave prescriptions
for the conservation of the preserved visible wooden carry-
ing elements (vertical and horizontal) on the southern and
northern façades. The two oak braces were restored and
a metal tube was implanted in them to secure the joints
of the new metal structural system designed to strengthen
the mediaeval volume. As no evidence of the type and size External part of the roof construction during the structural work
of the original cornice was found during the survey of the
vault, the project did not recommend restoring (or indicat-
ing) the cornice, as has been done at similar monuments
in the region.
In the course of the work, it was decided to place a
horizontal metal beam where the cornice was presumed
to have been, the purpose of the beam being to take the
weight of the suspended vault and to transfer it to the
metal columns. This decision was taken after the final dis-
mantling of the later masonry around the mediaeval core,
when it became clear that the original walls were inclined
and deviated from the vertical by up to 23 cm, therefore
the metal columns could not support them along their en-
tire height. The architectural project supported the idea
that the later narthex should be preserved as it is a stage
in the architectural history of the monument. The planned
 28 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
construction and restoration activities for the consolidation and
cleaning of the narthex created conditions for optimal display of
the architectural and artistic qualities of the mediaeval church. A
doubling brick wall was built over the existing stone plinth along
the three external walls of the narthex, thus forming a neutral ar-
chitectural framework for displaying the western façade of the me-
diaeval church. Windows with wooden frames and stylized iron
bars were installed in the apertures, and the ceiling of the narthex
acquired a new configuration giving a better view of the mediaeval
wall paintings.
The priorities set in the architectural project for restoration of
the church were accepted and followed by the engineering special-
ists in their working projects. The structural project was authored
by engineer Bozhidar Denchev. Securing, in accordance with the
effective regulations and norms, structural and anti-seismic stabil-
ity of the deformed and badly damaged building was an extremely
difficult task, which was additionally complicated by the require-
ment for maximum preservation of the authentic appearance of
the church and especially of its wall paintings. The principal idea
of the structural project was to “suspend” the deformed vault onto
a new metal structure mounted above it which, by way of four
columns attached to the northern and southern façades, would
transfer its weight to the new concrete foundations around the
church.
After the removal of the later masonry around the mediaeval
building, the following was prescribed: building the foundations
of the columns in the form of a reinforced concrete belt (encircling
the foundations of the church below the ground level); disman-
tling the later roof structure and uncovering the extrados of the
vault. Since the vault was divided into separate segments by sever-
al large cracks, it became possible to more deeply implant part of
the planned metal suspension rods by means of which the weight
of the vault would be transferred to the new metal roof structure.
The anchoring of the metal suspension rods to the vault masonry
was the subject matter of the technological project by Prof. Valen-
tin Todorov, and it constituted a critically important element of the
overall structural consolidation of the church. While the structural
project was being elaborated, a series of drillings were made into
the masonry to establish its condition with certainty. This was nec-
essary in order to determine the extent of structural intervention
as well as to plan measures guaranteeing in situ preservation of the
wall paintings in the process of implanting a new structural system
into the mediaeval structure. As the wall paintings on the vault of
the church were most vulnerable in this respect, special detailed
prescriptions were given for them, to be implemented during the
preparatory stage of the conservation activities.
Within the framework of the programme for consolidation
and architectural restoration of the church, the following projects
were also developed and implemented: a water supply and sewer-
age project authored by engineer Ivan Bilbizov, aiming at radical
elimination of humidity; an air-conditioning project authored by
engineer Ts. Kadiyski, recommending the installation of a humidi-
fier and dryer; and a project for an electrical system authored by
engineer Lyubomir Vasilev, providing for functional and decora-
tive illumination of the church, and for installation of a lightning-
protection system.
4. Structural Consolidation and Restoration
of the Church
4.1. Preparatory stage
This stage included:
• Reinforcing and stabilizing the temporary protective cover.
• Putting in place a structural system to carry the urgently
consolidated wall paintings on the vault.
 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
• Drillings into the structure under the roof, into the founda-
tions and into the existing brick casing around the façades of the
church.
As the whole surfaces of the church interior were covered with
wall paintings, the works needed for monolithic strengthening of
the vault and for overall structural consolidation of the building had
to be done only from the outer side of its “shell”. To this end, it
was necessary to prop the vault from the inside and then uncover
the roof above it, thus providing access for work from the top of
the vault. Prior to that, however, the conservators had to consoli-
date and protect the wall paintings on the vault, using a working
platform specially installed for the purpose. This process included:
removing the layers of dirt from the painted surfaces and the later
plastering from the cracks; consolidating the painted surfaces (with
Primal AC-33 solutions); filling the destroyed areas and cracks fol-
lowing the prescriptions of the technologist, Prof. Engineer Valentin
Todorov; strengthening the borders of the paintings; isolating (with
a Paralloid B-72 solution) and covering the wall paintings with tissue
paper and cheesecloth. It was only after this was done that the vault
was propped with shields made of pressed chipboards padded with
a soft, pliable material, resting on the internal propping scaffold.
Thanks to this operation, which was extremely difficult under the ex-
isting conditions, it became possible to secure the support of each of
the eight sectors of the severely deformed vault. The remaining wall
paintings in the naos and in the later narthex were also protected
in a manner appropriate for their condition. After the consolidation
and protection of the wall paintings, it became possible to begin
implementing the architectural and structural projects, as well as the
projects for the engineering systems (water supply and sewerage,
electrical system and air conditioning).
29
4.2. Implementation stage of the conservation
and restoration works as provided for
in the architectural and structural projects
A) For the mediaeval church
The priorities set in the architectural project were observed:
1. In situ conservation of the wall paintings
To observe this priority demonstrating respect for the original
artistic substance, the designers and contractors for the conserva-
tion and restoration works had to work with caution and continu-
ous control of the state of the system consisting of the wall paint-
ings and the damaged carrying masonry. This created risks during
the conservation process.
2. Restoration of the original exterior of the church:
The later strengthening brick casing was dismantled together
with its buttresses. This was done under a protective cover and in a
definite sequence of the operations performed; the destroyed up-
per wall was restored following the existing traces of the original
one; the defects on the uncovered façades were corrected – the
cracks in the façades were filled, including those in the corners of
the church and the pits in the walls; structural refilling of the joints
and hydrophobization were performed according to the require-
ments of the construction and conservation technology.
3. Improving the carrying capacity of the structure for its own
weight and for snow:
A) Of the mediaeval church
A new steel gable-roof frame structure with the dimensions of
the original was built to carry the roof package and the deformed
vault suspended onto it. With a view to suspending the vault from
the roof frames, the following was done: filling the web of cracks
in the vault; strengthening the masonry joints with a polymer so-
lution; making a corset of longitudinal and transverse strips of a
prescribed solution on the back of the vault; anchoring the sus-
pension rods to the vault. A laboratory test was conducted to test
the adhesion of the suspension rods to the solution. A horizontal
 30 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

closed steel frame was placed along the added

masonry over the walls of the church. The steel
frame, which is anchored to the added masonry
and absorbs the reactions of the steel roof struc-
ture, was connected to four visible steel columns
set in a belt of reinforced concrete below the
ground. The columns were appropriately fixed to
the walls to prevent dislocation.
B) Of the later narthex
A new steel gable-roof suspended frame
structure with the dimensions of the original was
built to carry the roof package Thus, wall paint-
ings on the western wall of the mediaeval church,
which were concealed by the old roof, were re-
vealed; the existing added masonry was strength-
ened by way of a close reinforced concrete frame
separating the upper structure with an anti-earth-
quake joint; an element providing safe access to
the roof structure was added. Consolidation of the architectural struture

4.3. Improving the carrying capacity of the

structure against seismic effects:
А) Of the medieval church
The following was done: restoration of the roof structure,
fixing the deformed vault to the steel gable-roof structure in ac-
cordance with the technological project and installation of joints
ensuring spatial interaction of this upper part of the church in the
event of seismic phenomena.
Elements put in place and work done: the steel frame structure
behind the cornice was anchored in the walls to secure transmission
of seismic effects to the walls; the frame was connected to the steel
columns and the restored braces were connected to the columns,
thus creating a difficult to deform system against horizontal stress –
frames with a two-tier crossbar; the closed reinforced concrete belt
was placed in the main joint and linked to the columns, thus consoli-
dating the foundations and easing the reactions to seismic stress.
B) Of the later narthex
A new steel roof structure which, through the joints placed on
it, has the rigidity necessary to transfer seismic stress to the walls,
was installed. A joint necessary for the separation of the mediaeval
church from the later narthex was put in place, as these two build-
ings react differently to earthquakes. Thus, the closed reinforced
concrete belt built into the structure of the walls, has improved
their carrying capacity in the event of earthquakes.
 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
Constructive cracks on the western façade
The anchoring of the metal suspension rods to the original
vault (elaborated in detail, as mentioned above, in the structural
and technological project by Prof. Engineer Valentin Todorov) was
a critically important element requiring special attention and preci-
sion. It was done by pouring a solution of epoxy resin AP-1 and of
polyethylene polyamine (PEPA) as solidifier into the existing cracks
and joints that had been cleaned in advance, or into manually
shaped apertures, and then placing the suspension rod (Fig. 6).
Reinforced plastering in strips was applied onto the surface of the
vault to secure better bonding of the separate fragments and at the
same time to allow the masonry to “breathe” (Fig. 7). The cracks
were filled with a solution of a lime-casein glue, polyvinyl acetate
31
dispersion and water. To check the effect of this
critically important procedure, the strength char-
acteristics – the shear and extraction resistance –
of the stone and of the solution were tested after
the consolidation of the vault structure, and the
results of the test proved to be within the admis-
sible limits. It was only after this was done that
the reinforcing system was installed: the steel roof
structure onto which the strengthened vault was
suspended and the metal columns through which
the weight of the vault is transferred to the rein-
forced concrete belt in the foundations. Over the
metal roof structure, a wooden cover was put in
place, which was waterproofed and covered with
single-groove tiles. Unfortunately, due to financial
constraints, it was impossible to cover the medi-
aeval part with specially made mediaeval tiles,
and that is why the naos and the later narthex
were covered with standard single-groove tiles
that gave unity to the two volumes and created
an effect indicating that the later narthex is part of
the architectural image and of the “biography” of the church.
4.4. Eliminating the aggressive impact of high air humidity
and capillary moisture:
• The church is protected against air humidity by means of
suitable elements of the roof packages, by the protective sidewalk,
the protective gutter to the west, an inner air duct around the
walls, and partial hydrophobization of the walls.
• In accordance with the results of the engineering-geolog-
ical and hydrogeological report, which takes into account also the
unfavourable profile of the terrain that collects water from the ad-
jacent steep slope, a free-flow vertical water-protection curtain was
 32 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

dug into the terrain

around the church at
a definite elevation
and linked to a deep
drain flowing into
the nearby creek.
The presence of
structural humidity
in the walls is con-
trolled periodically
with special instru-
ments.
• A r r a n g e -
ments were made
for controlled drain-
ing of the fountain in
the courtyard, which
otherwise floods the
terrain on the side of
the apse.
• The study of
the microclimate in
the church interior
requires installation
of a dryer and a hu-
Eastern façade. Late-nineteenth-century wall painting fragment prior to its transfer on a new support
midifier, for the pur-
pose of which a survey was conducted to determine the necessary
equipment.

4.5. Modernizing the operation of the church

In the engineering aspect, this was achieved through the imple-
mentation of the project for functional and decorative illumination
of the church. A lightning-protection system was also installed.
THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO 33

5. Conservation of the Wall Paintings

and Overall Display of the
Church of St Demetrius

Conservation of the wall paintings was of key importance

in the restoration process and display of the church. The dif-
ficult problems involved in this activity impeded its overall
implementation within the limits of the initial funding of the
project. Therefore, upon completion of the main part of the
works envisaged under the first trilateral contract between the
A.G. Leventis Foundation, the WMF and the BNC of ICOMOS,
in 2002 an application was prepared and submitted for a sec-
ond financial grant, to enable the completion of the conser-
vation of the wall paintings and display of the monument.
The donors showed understanding that the conservation of
the wall paintings, the main carrier of the high cultural and
historical value of the monument, must not be postponed be-
cause the technology used in their emergency consolidation
did not allow them to remain in this state for a long time.
The donors were also completely convinced (thanks also to
the active cooperation of Mr Boris Hadjiev, representative of
the A.G. Leventis Foundation) that conservation of the wall
paintings is a sine qua non for the adequate and full display
of this monument. Thus, the first contract was extended on
the same terms and conditions, and in 2003 a programme for
the conservation of the wall paintings was prepared, projects
for conservation and restoration works were developed, and
their first stage was completed.
This stage included conservation of the wall paintings in
the naos, namely: consolidation of the painted layer; filling
the damaged parts of the paint layer and plaster, removal

Wall paintings on the western façade during conservation

 34 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
of salts; cleaning the wall paintings; colour integration (Fig. 12).
Significant new evidence was found in the course of conservation:
the wall paintings from the older layer were localized only on the
southern wall, under the figures of St Nicholas and St Demetri-
us, but the exposed areas did not provide information as to the
iconographic distribution of this layer; evidence of a fire that had
damaged both layers was found there. In addition, the original
height, position and size of the iconostasis were established, along
with the later interventions on it. It was interesting to discover that
the altar table had been raised at some later point in time – the
painted decoration found behind it after it was dismantled clearly
showed that the original level of the altar was about 25 cm lower.
The last stage of work under this project was conservation of
the wall paintings on the western façade of the church, now in
the later narthex; implementation of the project for colour treat-
ment of the façades; completion of the surrounding area (vertical
planning, landscaping, pavements), the first stage of which was
executed with the joint efforts of Boboshevo Municipality and Ky-
ustendil Region.
III. ICONOGRAPHIC PROGRAMME
 36 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

1. Altar Programme The Virgin (쁸𠻁v ¸ ïàíà“ã·à) is portrayed half-length, with
arms outstretched in prayer; in front of her Christ Emmanuel (¶ñ
The wall paintings in the altar apse are devoted to different õñ) blessing with both hands is represented in a vessel; on either
aspects of the Eucharist. This theme is represented in three zones. side of the Virgin are medallions containing the images of the
Archangels Michael (츑õà¸M¡) and
Gabriel (ãà“âð·ëü). Whereas the
iconographic formula of half-
length depiction of the Virgin
Orans with Christ in a medallion
is relatively often interpreted in
altar apses, especially after the
thirteenth and fourteenth centu-
ries, the representation of Christ
not in a medallion but in a vessel
is an extremely rarely used vari-
ant of this formula. It appeared
in Orthodox painting in the late
thirteenth-fourteenth centuries,
but it never became common
in the decorative scheme of
churches nor did it acquire sta-
ble iconographic characteristics.
An explanation for this vari-
ant can be found in the liturgical

The Virgin Orans with Christ. Conch of the altar apse Eastern wall. Overall view
 38 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
and, more specifically, in the Eucharistic theme in paintings in the
altar area. As most liturgical scenes and images which appeared in
the Palaeologan period, this one, too, ought to be regarded not as
a direct illustration of a concrete moment of the Liturgy but as a
symbolic image combining some of the basic ideas and messages
of Orthodox services. Even so, this image is found in some late
liturgical manuscripts as an illustration of concrete moments of the
Liturgy. Precisely these illustrations in their direct connection with
28
the text are also at the basis not only of the interpretation of the
theological aspect but also of the iconography of this rare liturgi-
cal image. In the thirteenth to fifteenth centuries, this image did
not acquire an established iconographic formula; as we shall see
below, it may be interpreted as Christ in a fount, phiale (or other
vessel) or calyx.
As most of the novelties in fourteenth-century painting, this
new image also originated in the Ohrid ecclesiastical and cultural
centre. The earliest extant representation in mural painting of the
Blessing Christ in a vessel is in the Church of the Virgin Periblep-
tos (1295) in Ohrid, in the prothesis. The Virgin Nikopoios is de-
picted holding against her chest a medallion-like rounded vessel
in which Christ Emmanuel is portrayed half-length, blessing with
both hands. This representation is interpreted by Gordana Babić as
the Virgin Nikopoios with Christ Emmanuel in a medallion. 29
28
In an entire group of manuscripts from the seventeenth and early
eighteenth centuries connected with the island of Cyprus, the represen-
tations of Christ in a vessel are elaborated in many variants and used
repeatedly in the illustration of one and the same manuscript. These are
manuscripts containing the Liturgies of St John Chrysostom and St Basil
the Great. Part of them have been studied by Prof. A. Dzurova. Dzurova
A., L'étincelle allumée à Chypre /Référence: la collection de manuscrits
grecs du Centre de recherches Slavo-Byzantines "Ivan Dujcev"/, In: Stud-
ies in Honor of Robert Browning, Venice, 1996, 75-90; Dzurova A. Les
manuscrits grecs enluminés du monastère de Saint-Sabas et leur influ-
ence sur la tradition slave: Sabas 248 de la bibliothèque du Patriarcat
grec de Jerusalem, In: The Sabaite Heritage in the Orthodox Church from
the Fifth Century to the Present. Leuven 2001, 410-429.
29
Babić, G. Les chapelles annexes des églises byzantines. Fonction liturgi-
In the Patriarchate of Peć, a lunette above the entrance of the
narthex built by Archbishop Danilo II (1330) depicts a donor’s
composition: in the centre the Virgin is portrayed full-length, hold-
ing in front of her chest Christ Emmanuel in a phiale-like vessel;
on one side is St Nicholas, and on the other Archbishop Danilo
II.30 Chronologically, the next representation is in the Church of St
Nicholas in the village of Psača (1365–1371), where the altar apse
features an image of the Virgin holding the Child in a vessel. In
the Church of St Nicholas Tzotza in Kastoria, the conch of the apse
depicts the Virgin with the Child who is in a cup-like ornamented
relief vessel. The Virgin is designated by the liturgical epithet З
ФЙМЙЩФБФЗ ФЩН ЧЕСПХВЙМ (More Honorable than the Cher-
ubim). According to E. Tsigaridas, Christ is represented in a stylized
cup of a flower in bloom.31 As we shall see below, cups and flowers
are often used as visual synonyms of the chalice. In the Church of
the Dormition (1393) in Aliveri (Euboea), Christ Emmanuel is de-
picted in a similar vessel (a phiale like the one in Kastoria) on the
chest of the Virgin.32 In the altar apse of the Church of the Lesser
Physician Saints (mid-fourteenth century) in Ohrid, the Virgin is
portrayed half-length, with Christ in a hexagonal vessel. There the
Virgin is designated by the epithet “Acheiropoietos”. According
to T. Grozdanov, two iconographic types are combined here – of
the Virgin Orans and of the Virgin Zoodochos Pigi, while the vessel
in which is the Infant Christ is a vessel with blessed water.33
que et Programmes iconographiques. Paris 1969, 135-136.
30
Милановић, В. О фресци на улазу у Богородичину цркву архие-
пископа Данила ІІ у Пећи. Зограф, 30, Београд, 2004-2005, 141-
163; Ћурић J., Ћирковић С., Кораћ В., Пећка патриjаршиjа. Београд
1990, 132, ил. 76.
31
ФуйгбсЯдбт, Е. Фοιχογραφίες фзт ресйьдпх фщн Рблбйпльгщн уе
нάпт фзт Мбкедпнίбт. Иеуублпнίкз 1999, 254.
32
Velmans, T. L'iconographie de la "fontaine de la vie" dans la tradition
byzantine à la fin du Moyen âge. In: Syntronon. Art et Archéologie de la
fin de l'Antiquité et du Moyen âge. Paris 1968, 130-131.
33
Грозданов, Ц. Охридското tидно сликарство од ХІV век. Охрид
1980, 48.
Communion of Apostles
 40 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
In the Church of the Holy Virgin at Matka (1496), on the chest
of the Virgin Orans is Christ Emmanuel in a rounded vessel similar
to a calyx, blessing with one hand and holding a scroll in the oth-
er. 34
G. Subotić describes this representation as Christ in a calyx.
The prophets in the Tree of Jesse composition in the same church
are depicted in similar calyces. The shape of the calyx is also simi-
lar to that in the first representation in the Church of the Virgin
Peribleptos, and its character cannot be defined with certainty.
The thematic connection between the representations of Christ in
a vessel and the Tree of Jesse is also noted by V. Milanović who,
however, does not mention the scene in the Church of the Holy
Virgin at Matka. The representation in the apse of the Church of St
Alipius in Kastoria also dates from the fifteenth century.
In scientific literature, the representations in Psača, Aliveri and
the Church of the Lesser Physician Saints in Ohrid are interpreted
as a variant of the image of the Virgin Zoodochos Pigi, even though
none of those representations is designated by this epithet and
none of them depicts the Virgin in the phiale or vessel in ques-
tion. Moreover, only in the Church of the Lesser Physician Saints
in Ohrid the shape of the vessel is such that it can be compared
only to a fount. It is possible that the genealogy of the image may
be related, especially at the iconographic level, to the iconogra-
phy of the Virgin Zoodochos Pigi. In the churches of St Theodore
Teron and St Theodore Stratilates in Mystra and in the Vrontochion
Monastery, the Virgin and Christ are portrayed in the apse in one
vessel.35 T. Velmans interprets these images as the Virgin Zoodo-
chos Pigi, but looks for a connection with the Eucharistic symbols
in a roundabout, metaphorical way – the Virgin, who through the
Incarnation of Christ, gives eternal life. To my mind, the most re-
liable confirmation that these representations depict Christ in a
34
Суботиќ, Г. Охридската сликарска школа од ХV век, 145, ill. 109.
35
Dufrenne S., Le programmes iconographiques des églises byzantines
de Mistra. Paris 1970.
chalice as the Eucharistic sacrifice comes from the established in
the sixteenth-seventeenth centuries representation, again in the
altar area, of the Blessing Christ in a chalice without the Virgin,
as part of the Melismos composition. The vessel in which Christ
stands is now clearly shaped like a chalice, the symbolic meaning
of the life-giving spring is no longer present, but new symbolic and
iconographic allusions are introduced through the image of Christ
in the Tomb.
In conclusion, we may sum up as follows. Visually and sym-
bolically, the origins of the image of the Blessing Christ in a chalice
can be traced back to several iconographic types: to Christ Em-
manuel in a medallion, to Christ the sacrifice, the Lamb of God
reclining on a diskos in the centre of the scene of the Melismos,
to the Virgin Zoodochos Pigi and, in some of the latest variants, to
Christ in the Tomb. Whereas the image of the Blessing Christ was
eventually separated from that of the Virgin, in all early represen-
tations from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries it is part of the
altar composition depicting the Virgin Orans; it was separated from
the latter and became part of the Melismos composition in the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The vessel in which Christ is
portrayed can be interpreted as a chalice, a vessel with blessed wa-
ter (life-giving spring) or a blooming flower. In the earliest monu-
ment, the Church of the Virgin Peribleptos, the vessel looks more
like a medallion. Those three types, which appeared in mediaeval
monuments, acquired distinct form during the post-Byzantine pe-
riod.
Communion of Apostles. Altar apse. Below the Virgin is a com-
position depicting the Communion of Apostles. Christ is represent-
ed twice behind the Holy Table, dressed in a polystaurion with
crosses inscribed in circles; in the background is a building with
two towers flanking a pointed roof. On either side of Christ are
the apostles, portrayed in dynamic and expressive postures. To
Melismos
 42 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
the left, the Apostle Peter takes Communion with bread, and the
inscription reads: ïð¸ìýòå‘ ¸„ ÿä·òå. To the right, the Apostle Paul
takes Communion with wine from a vessel administered by Christ,
and the inscription above him reads: ï¸òå § íåå. This is a quote
from I Corinthians 11:24, and it is part of the Institutio, together
with Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22, 24, and Luke 22:19-21. The
text corresponds to the beginning of the two Exclamations of the
priest after the Trisagion (Sanctus) from the Eucharistic canon of
the Liturgy of St John Chrysostom. The two apostles are repre-
sented as kneeling low, almost in a prostrate position. The Com-
munion of Apostles is a traditional composition for the altar apse
and its Eucharistic symbolic meaning is clear, but here I will note
a more rarely found detail. The left part of the composition shows
Judas who is turned in the opposite direction and is about to leave,
his hand making for his throat. This theme was illustrated for the
first time in the Church of Panagia Phorbiotissa in Asinou (Cyprus,
1106), but it reappeared in church painting in the fifteenth and
sixteenth centuries. One of the first examples of this revived inter-
est in it are the scenes in Dragalevtsi and Boboshevo. The motif
36
of Judas with the devil in the scene of the Communion of Apostles
is rarely found in the post-Byzantine period.37 In the Communion
of Apostles, Judas with the devil appears in, for example, the Bar-
laam Monastery (1566) in Meteora and in the katholicon of the
Gregoriou Monastery; the same motif was painted by Terpo in the
church of the St Nahum Monastery. 38
36
Garidis, M. La peinture murale dans le monde orthodoxe après la
chute de Byzance /1450-1600/ et dans les pays sous domination étran-
gère, 103.
37
About this theme in iconography see: Garidis, M. Op. cit., p. 332,
pl. 183; Фпэсфб, Б. Пй нбпp фпх БгЯпх НйкплЬпх уфз ВЯфуб кбй фпх
БгЯпх МзнЬ уфп МпнпдЭндсй, БиЮнб 1991, p. 61; Tourta, A. The Judas
Cycle? Byzantine and Post Byzantine Survival, In: Byzantinische malerei.
Bildprogramme - Ikonographie - Stil, Wiesbaden 2000, 322-324.
38 Грозданов, Ц. Свети Наум Охридски. Skopje 1995, p. 108, ill. 91.
Melismos. Above the apse window, Christ is represented as the
Lamb of God ñå àãíåöü (á)æ¸, as the Eucharistic sacrifice on a high al-
tar table covered with a red shroud. On either side is an angel (àããëü
ãíDü) with rhipidia; to the left, St Basil the Great (ñòü· âàñ¸ë¸å) unfurls
a scroll with both hands: へ áå íàøü òåáå ñå ìî[ë¸ìü ?]. This text is not
found in other representations of St Basil or of some of the other
saints with scrolls. It may come from a prayer read on the eight day
after childbirth: ”ãд¸ áжå íàøъ òåáэ ñå ìîë¸ìъ ё тебе просимъ...” The
same text, but in Greek, is inscribed on the scroll of St Nicholas in
the ossuary of Bachkovo Monastery. To my mind, it may be a free
paraphrase of the Lord’s Prayer: Тебе поемъ, Тебе благословимъ, Тебе
благодаримъ, Господи и молимъ Ти с­, Боже нашъ (We praise Thee, we
bless Thee, we give thanks unto Thee, O Lord, and we pray unto
Thee, O our God). To the right is St John Chrysostom (ñò¥ ¶wàíü
çëàòî?ñò¥”), with a scroll inscribed: ¸ç(ð)[å]ä(íî î ïð)[å](ñâåòî). The text
on the scroll corresponds to the beginning of the Exclamation of the
priest after the prayer “Тебе поемъ...” (“We praise Thee…”) from the
Eucharistic canon of the Liturgy. Both saints are dressed in white.
Part of the Melismos composition continues on the southern
wall, where St Athanasius of Alexandria (ñòü· à‰»à‰í„à‘ñ·å àðõ¨¸’å︓ñê˜î…ïü‘
à‰ëå“¿àíDð°ñê¥) is portrayed holding with both hands a scroll inscribed
âå÷åð¸ òâîå òà¸í¸ äíT¡ü ñ혡å áæ(¸)39. The text on the scroll held by St
Athanasius is read during the Liturgy of St Basil and it is the second
prayer before Holy Communion; this prayer is also read on Holy
Thursday by the priest instead of the Hymn of the Cherubim dur-
ing the censing40. The characteristics of the face as well as of the
39
Андреев, Х. Професор Стефан Смядовски на 60 години ( Modus
bulgaricus в средновековната епиграфика). Български език кн. 2, LV,
София 2008, 109-110.
40
Taft, R. The Great Entrance. A History of the Transfer of Gifts and other
Preanaphoral Rites of the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom. Orientalia
Christiana Analecta, No 200. Roma 1975, 54-55, 68-70; Taft, R. The
Pontifical Liturgy of the Great Church according to a Twelfth-Century
Diataxis in Codex British Museum Add. 34060. Orientalia Christiana
periodica No 46, 1980 (2), p. 118.
The Vision of St Peter of Alexandria St Athanasius of Alexandria
 44 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
figure of St Athanasius differ in style from the other images of high
priests in the church, and the contour is strongly enhanced. Unlike
St John Chrysostom and St Basil the Great, St Athanasius is dressed
in a variegated polystaurion in blue and red, as is St Peter of Alex-
andria who is depicted symmetrically on the northern wall.
The Vision of St Peter of Alexandria. (ñòü· ïå“òðü à”ëå„¿íDðñêü·) The scene
is in its traditional position, on the northern wall by the iconostasis.
St Peter is in archpriest vestments – a polystaurion, while Christ is
depicted naked, with a white shirt draped over one shoulder. Below
is the allegorical figure of Hades as a serpent with an open mouth
from which protrudes the figure of Arius (àð·à áåç?ìí¸).
Between the figures of Christ and St Peter is inscribed the fol-
lowing dialogue: êòî ò¸ ð¸ç¹ ñïå (ì)î¸ ðàçDðà. àð·à áåç?ìí¸ òðî¸ö¹
ðàçDåë¸ ïåòðå (O My Saviour, who hath rent Thy raiment? It was the
mindless Arius, who divided the Trinity, O Peter). This dialogue is
traditionally depicted in this scene and it symbolically explicates
the disastrous role of the Arian heresy, which did not recognize
the unity of the Holy Trinity and led to the first schism within the
Church. The inscription on the scroll held by St Peter is less com-
mon: äîñòî¸íî ¸ ïðàâåäíî å[ñòü]. At the Kremikovtsi Monastery, as
well as in some fourteenth-century paintings, St Peter’s scroll is
inscribed with the beginning of the Anaphora prayer: äwñòî¸íî ¸„
ïðà‘âåäíî, òå‘áå ïý‘ò¸. òå‘áå áëTâ¸ò¸. òå‘áå õâàë¸ò¸. òå‘áå áëãîäàð¸ò¸. òåáý
ïîêëàííýò¸ ñ­,.... We can speculate by analogy that the text of the
above-mentioned inscription likewise comes from the beginning of
the Anaphora prayer; but then, it could just as well be the begin-
ning of äwстои‡но и праведно е“ст поклан­тис­оцzу и снzу и стzому дхzу, троицý
единосущнýи‡ и нераздýльнýи‡, which is the most direct glorification
and adoration of the Holy Trinity. No matter which of the two li-
turgical texts with Trinitarian content is represented here, it implies
that the image of St Peter of Alexandria belongs to the Melismos
composition. H. Andreev draws an interesting conclusion: namely,
that the text on the scroll is actually the end of the dialogue and
that it is St Peter’s answer to Christ, in which he affirms and glori-
fies the Holy Trinity.
Holy Mandylion and Holy Keramidion. On the eastern wall,
flanking the apse, are images of the Holy Mandylion (ñòü· ?áð?ñü;
left) and Holy Keramidion (ñòаа гарамиäà‘; right). On either side
of each of the images is a medallion showing an angel bowing to
Christ – thus, the compositions are reminiscent of prayer to Christ.
According to a tradition established as early as the Comnenian
period, the representations of the Holy Mandylion and Holy Ker-
amidion are located on the lower part of the drum of the dome or
Holy Mandylion

Holy Keramidion
 46 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
below it – symmetrically opposite each other.41 When the icono-
graphic programme for cruciform churches was adapted to single-
aisled, vaulted churches, these images were moved to the eastern
wall. The representation of the acheiropoietic images of the Holy
Mandylion and Holy Keramidion on the eastern wall, in the altar
area of Byzantine churches, can be traced back to the eleventh cen-
41
Grabar, A. Op. cit., 309-310.
St Romanus
the Sweet-Singer
tury. It also has a symbolic meaning associated with the Incarna-
tion of Christ and with the Eucharist, the liturgical evocation of the
sacrifice of the Saviour. The Holy Mandylion began to be depicted
on the eastern wall together with the images of the parents of the
Holy Virgin – St Joachim and St Anne in medallions. This empha-
sized the idea of the Incarnation and the human nature of Christ,
while serving also as a thematic connection with the Annunciation
scene. In other cases, where the Holy Mandylion is flanked by the
images of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel in medallions, the
emphasis is on his Divine Nature – as in the image under review.
In Boboshevo, however, we see an original iconographic variant
which also lends additional eschatological meaning to the image,
reminding of the scene of the Deesis. Symmetrically below the two
angels in medallions are two weeping angels from the scene of the
Entombment, which suggests that the composition was designed
as a whole. Whereas the depiction of the Holy Mandylion and
Holy Keramidion as a pair on either side of the apse is not unique,
it never became very popular in Byzantine iconography. It is to
be found, for example, in the Church of the Virgin Eleousa on the
island of Mali Grad (together with Saint Joachim and St Anne), in
the Church of St Nicholas Tzotza in Kastoria, etc.42
I will note the iconography of the Holy Mandylion, which is
quite untraditional – the face of Christ is depicted in the middle of
the nimbus, while the Holy Mandylion, which is a piece of white
cloth decorated with red and black patterns, is wrapped around
42
Grabar, A. La sainte face de Laon, Le Mandylion dans l’art orthodoxe.
Zographika, III, Prague 1931, 16-37; Velmans, T. L’église de Khé en Géor-
gie. Зограф 10, 1979, 71-82; 74-78; Velmans, T. L’image de Déisis dans
les églises de Géorgie, CA 29, 1980-81, 82-88, 94; Gerstel, S. E. Man-
dylion and Eucharist, Nineteen Annual Byzantine Studies Conference,
Abstracts of papers. Princeton, 1993, 27; РбрбдЬкз-Oekland, У. Фь
¢гйп МбндЮлп ›т фь нЭп уэмвплп уЭ Wнб BсчAйп еrкпнпгсбцйкь уч\
мб, ДЧБЕ, 14, 1987-88. БиЮнб 1989, 283-294; Thierry, N. Deux notes
à propos du Mandylion. Зограф 11, Београд 1980, 16-18; Воjводић,
Д. Зидно сликарство цркве Светог Ахилиjа у Арильу. Београд 2005,
58.
Christ, the Ancient of Days
 48 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
the nimbus of Christ and knotted at both sides; the whole image is
within a blue medallion. The traditional representation of the Holy
Mandylion is in the form of a rectangular piece of cloth, while in
the fifteenth-century monuments originating from the Ohrid circle
the Holy Mandylion is depicted tied to two trees in the centre of
the scene of the Ascension of Christ. The image of the Mandylion
as a piece of cloth knotted at both ends appeared in the twelfth-
thirteenth centuries, in monuments like the Church of St George at
Sklavopoula Selinou, Crete, and in the Church St Sosont in Geraki.
A relatively close parallel is the image in the Church of St George at
Sklavopoula Selinou, where the shape of the cloth is almost round,
but it is not in a medallion. 43
This oval image of the Holy Mandylion in a medallion is
strongly reminiscent of an image on a coin. However, in the entire
43
РбрбдЬкз-Oekland, У. Op. cit., 283-294.
Christ Pantocrator
Byzantine and Bulgarian practice of minting, we know of only a
single coin depicting the Holy Mandylion on one side, and the
mounted figure of Tsar Konstantin Asen on the other.44 In other
words, this image is unlikely to have been inspired by coins depict-
ing the Holy Mandylion as such coins were rare. It is very probable
that the decision to depict the Holy Mandylion in a medallion was
inspired by the images of saints in medallions.
St Archdeacon Stephen (27 December) [ñò¥] ñòåôàíü. Prothesis
niche. The saint is portrayed half-length, dressed in a white stich-
arion with patterns and a red mantle, holding a censer in his right
hand. He is represented with a tonsured head, with a stubble on
his scalp.
44
Авдев, С. Медна монeта на Константин Асен като конник. In: Бъл-
гарските средновековни монети, София 2007.
Lord’s Throne
 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
Prophet Azariah and Prophet Solomon
Above the prothesis niche, side by side, are miniature-sized
images of St Daniel Stylites (11 December) ñò¥ äàí¸ëü ñòëüïí¸[êü],
St Isaurius (6 July) ñò¥ ·ñàâðü and St Simeon Stylites (1 September)
ñò¥ ñ¸ìå(wí)[ü] (ñ)òëü(ïí¸)[êü]. Thus, on the left side of the eastern
wall are alternating images of two stylites and two deacons. Both
stylite saints are dressed in the habit of Megaloschema monks,
with a kukulion on which there is a cross on the forehead and three
crosses around the neck.
St Romanos the Sweet-Singer (1 October) ñòü· ðîìàíü’ ïåñíîñëîâå“öü.
To the right of the apse in the diakonikon, as there is no niche on
the wall. The saint is not dressed in deacon’s vestments but in a
blue chiton and a red himation; he holds a cross in one hand and
a book in the other.
The choice to depict the deacon saints Stephen, Romanos the
49
Prophet Gedeon
Sweet-Singer and Isaurus in the prothesis and diakonikon is related
to the function and symbolic meaning of these areas. However,
the presence of the two stylite saints, St Simeon and St Daniel, is
not connected with the symbolic meaning of the areas and is prob-
ably due to the monastic character of the church. Stylite saints are
depicted in different areas of mediaeval Orthodox churches: in the
altar area, on the pillars forming the line of the altar screen, in the
naos, around the entrance and the windows. The representation
of stylite saints in the altar area was especially typical of Kastoria
monuments in the fourteenth century and continued in the next
centuries too. Among the fifteenth-century monuments which we
view as parallels, there are similar examples in the Church of the
Virgin Eleousa at Lake Prespa, of the Holy Prophet Elijah in Dol-
gavec, of St Nicholas in Banica (Vevi), and in the Dragalevtsi Mon-
astery.
 50 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
2. Vault Programme
At the zenith of the vault, three medallions depict Christ Pan-
tocrator, Christ, Ancient of Days, and the Lord’s Throne (Hetoimasia).
These images were revealed properly only after the latest resto-
ration of the church, as before that they were hidden under the
beams supporting the vault. That is why some of their specific
characteristics have evaded earlier scholars.
The first medallion shows Christ Pantocrator and it is part of the
composition depicting the Ascension of Christ âü(ç)íåT¡(í)[¸å] ãíå on
the uppermost part of the eastern wall. Christ is surrounded by a
blue aureole made up of three segments. Christ is shown seated,
blessing with both hands, dressed in ochre garments. Four angels
with red wings, dressed in a red, white and blue dalmatic, hold the
medallion. This image is significantly smaller than the next medal-
lion. It is depicted in the same proportions in the other fifteenth-
century churches in the Ohrid area (Leskovec).
Christ, Ancient of Days (¶ñ õñ âåò[õ¸] äí¸N¡) is represented in the
centre of a round medallion, on the four sides of which are rays
showing the symbols of the four Evangelists. Christ is portrayed
half-length, with his left hand holding a book decorated with
pearls to his chest, and blessing with his right. He is dressed in a
red mantle and green chiton, the hair and beard are white, and
the nimbus is round, with a rhomb inscribed within it. The face is
monumental and the features are strongly stylized; the modelling
of this image differs from that of all others in the church.
Restoration of the medallion around the image of Christ, An-
cient of Days, has revealed nine distinct images that look like an
architectural structure which cannot be identified with certainty.
These nine figures alternate in green and red, and all are detailed
with ornaments. Their number, nine, as well as their location
around Christ, Ancient of Days, point to the nine angelic orders.
In some monuments it is precisely the nine angelic orders that are
depicted around Christ. Here, however, we do not have a depic-
tion of angels, but the “unclear images” might resemble thrones
as seen from the back, with an attempt at conveying perspective,
and may be assumed to represent “angelic thrones”. The number
nine also points to the fruits of the Holy Spirit, but they, too, are
represented as angels; the orders of saints are nine as well and they
are sometimes represented around the medallion showing Christ.
With some approximation, these figures may also be interpreted
as “drinking fountains” with a spout, with the water flowing from
them forming a circle. To my knowledge, there are no (not even
approximate) parallels to this iconography that could help us iden-
tify the figures in question. Neither does the eschatological litera-
ture, with which the interpretation of the image of the Ancient of
Days is associated, provide any evidence pointing to similar nine
images. Clarification of their original design and symbolic meaning
will be the subject of future study.
The third medallion with The Lord’s Throne (Hetoimasia) is on
the westernmost part of the vault. It is surrounded by seraphim.
The outer ring is red, filled with stars, within it are two angels
dressed in white, holding a blue medallion made up of several
segments which contained the image of the Hetoimasia (no longer
extant); in a vessel below it are the implements of torture. This
is one of the rarer variants of this medallion – in the majority of
examples from the Ohrid circle, the medallion is carried by angels
and within it is only the Hetoimasia. An interpretation similar to
the one in Boboshevo is found in the churches of SS Constantine
and Helena and of the Holy Virgin Bolnička in Ohrid, as well as in
the Dragalevsti Monastery.
The vault programme follows a model established in the four-
teenth century in the monuments connected with the Ohrid artistic
centre. This model is found in the chapel of St Gregory (1364/5),
Wall Paintings on the Western Façade
 102 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

The Last Judgement

The niche above the entrance depicts the patron saint of the
church, St Demetrius, on horseback;112 the identifying inscription ñò¥
112
The earliest known representation of St Demetrius on horseback is
on a twelfth-century steatite icon at the Kremlin Armoury. According to
researchers, this iconography was adopted from Thessalonica and was
disseminated across the Slavic lands. St George is considered to be the
first saint represented on horseback in Byzantine art; in monumental
painting in Bulgaria, too, the earliest equestrian image of a saint is
probably that of St George in the church in the village of Patalenitsa
(early thirteenth century). As there are very few extant monuments from
this period, one can only speculate, based on the parallel development
of the iconography of St George and St Demetrius, that in Bulgaria there
were equestrian images of St Demetrius, too, from the late twelfth and
ä¸ì¸òð¸å âåë¸êîì÷í¸êü is in two green medallions. St Demetrius is
shown in yellow (gold) armour, with a red cloak billowing behind,
holding a gold shield in his left hand and a long spear in his right,
and wearing a diadem on his head and red boots on his feet; the
horse is white, with red reins and a saddle decorated with pearls. The
white horse of St Demetrius, “his famous horse”, is repeatedly men-
tioned in hagiographical literature, and his costume is also consistent
with the descriptions in literature.113 The background is dark blue
early thirteenth centuries.
113
PG, t. 116, 1313-1316, 135.
 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO 103

with white snowflakes, while

the saint’s nimbus is decorated
with red snowflakes. The figure
is quite disproportionate to the
horse, which is small. The niche is
framed by an ornamental frieze of
rhombs and snowflakes in different
colours. There is also a similar im-
age of St Demetrius on horseback
in the lunette above the entrance
of the Church of St Demetrius in
the Markov Monastery at Skopje.
St George on horseback is also
represented in a similar manner
in the niche above the entrance of
the Church of St Anna Anisiraki on
the island of Crete.
The main symbolic function
of the images of saints on horse-
back is apotropaic, and that is
why they are usually represented
on the doors of churches, above
and around the entrance of
churches, on altar doors, or above
the gates of cities. It is very likely
that there was such an image of
St Demetrius above the gates of
Thessalonica, as indicated by the
scene of the death of St Nestor in
the church in Staro Nagoričano,
where the background shows a
city (Thessalonica) with a horse-

Hetoimasia
 104 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
man above its gates – the horseman is un-
doubtedly St Demetrius.
The Last Judgement. The façade is taken
up by a large scene of the Last Judgement
represented in a reduced version, without
the theme of Hell and the torment of sinners.
The uppermost part shows a monumental,
half-length Christ Pantocrator [ïà“í»î]ê‘ðà‰»îðü
вседржJ¡тель, with an identifying inscription
in red medallions (only one of them is pre-
served: õñ) and a red cross on his nimbus; he
holds an open Gospel inscribed with a text
from Matthew 25:34 (identical to that in the
Heaven. Detail
Royal Deesis). He is flanked by the archangels
Michael (ар¡aггль 츑õаёль) and Gabriel (ар¡aггль
ãà“âð·ëü) shown in postures of prayer, wearing dark red dalmatics
with loroi and holding a sceptre. Their costume is similar to that
of Archangel Gabriel in the scene of the Annunciation in the naos.
To either side are partly preserved images of Seraphim. The whole
composition is within a triangular frame that follows the natural
contour of the architecture. There are traces of an earlier layer of
painting around the nimbus of Christ.
Below Christ Pantocrator is the Deesis tier, with an inscription
reading второе прёшествёе (Second Coming). In the centre the seated
Christ is portrayed in a mandorla which is partially lost, and be-
neath his feet a river of fire flows towards the right; he is flanked
by the Virgin and St John the Baptist in postures of prayer. To ei-
ther side, seated on long benches, the apostles are shown in lively
postures, holding books or scrolls. This part of the composition was
probably executed by another painter, who did not paint the naos,
but it belongs to the same stage of painting.
Hetoimasia. уготованёе прэстола. To the
left of the niche above the entrance is the
Lord’s Throne with the implements of torture
and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove,
flanked by the kneeling Adam and Eve, while
behind Eve are prophets and Old Testament
kings лёкь прЃрwчьскё and martyrs [лёкь] мЃчн-
сЃкё. Below them are two other groups of the
righteous ascending to heaven: apostles лёкь
апостолскё and bishops ликь ·ерарьческё. The
apostles are led by St Peter holding the spear
of the Seraphim, who guards the gates of
Paradise. The composition probably included
the other groups of the righteous as well.
Heaven. The left section shows Heaven
surrounded by a crenellated fortress wall; the Garden of Eden is
filled with trees. In the centre are seated the Virgin, Abraham (on
the nimbus авра[амь]) and Jacob, whose figure is intersected by
the wall of the narthex. The iconographic approach to the theme
of Abraham’s Bosom is quite untraditional – although this theme is
usually illustrated with several human faces or figures in Abraham’s
lap, here Abraham is portrayed with an open shirt, while on his
chest, on a red background, there are several human heads. The
faces are rendered graphically, with fine black contours and dis-
tinctly individualized characteristics – the head of a young woman
in the centre is especially striking.
The Sky, the Sea and the Earth. To the right of the niche above
the entrance, two angels fold the sky like a scroll, on which are
depicted the stars, the moon and the sun.
To the left, an angel blows a trumpet pointed toward the sea
аггЃль трубё море, while a woman, seated on a beast, holds a sail-
Heaven
 106 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

and quite realistic, images of different animals and birds. There are
scratched graffiti on some of the animals.
The iconographic prototype of the scene of the Last Judge-
ment on the façade of the Church of St Demetrius in Boboshevo
can be found in the Ohrid monuments from the fourteenth cen-
tury. But compared with the scenes in the churches of the Virgin
Peribleptos (the second layer of paintings) and of the Holy Virgin
Bolnička, here the large composition is represented in a reduced
version even though the main elements and tendencies are the
same. One finds a number of coincidences: absent here, as in the
Church of the Virgin Peribleptos, is one of the main themes in the
iconography of the Last Judgement in the previous centuries – the
theme of Hell. Hell and the torment of sinners are not represented
– this theme is signified only by the river of fire that flows beneath
Christ’s feet. A similar reduction of the second part of the Last
Judgement is to be found in the Church of the Virgin Peribleptos,
where the remaining part of the Last Judgement is represented
in detail. According to C. Grozdanov, this was part of the wider
changes in the evolution of iconographic themes and repertoire,
which began in the second quarter of the fourteenth century and
which was also connected with theological literature.114 There are
also some coincidences in the secondary images: the figure person-
ifying the Earth is modelled precisely on the figure in the Church
of the Virgin Peribleptos – the two-headed beast is identical, and
so is the posture in which the female figure is seated as well as the
piece of cloth arched above her head.

boat – the allegorical figure of the sea; from the beast’s mouth
Outside the thematic context of the Last Judgement composi-
protrudes a human figure. The sea is filled with different sea ani-
tion, on either side of the entrance are the scenes of the Presenta-
mals – fish, an octopus, squid. To the right, another angel blows
tion of the Virgin in the Temple and the Hospitality of Abraham
a trumpet аггЃль [тру]бё земля and there is a figure personifying
(Old Testament Trinity), and below them are figures of standing
the earth. The figure is seated in the middle of the back of a two-
saints.
headed beast, with folded legs and open arms, holding above her
head a piece of cloth curved like an arch. Around her are detailed, 114
Грозданов, Ц. Охридско ¤идно..., 134-136.
The Sky, the Sea and the Earth
 108 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

Presentation of of the Last Judge-

the Virgin in the Tem- ment – raises many
ple, to the left of the questions. Accord-
entrance. Against the ing to G. Subotić, to
background of a wall, understand it, one
St Anne looks back must know what the
at St Joachim, whose overall concept of the
figure is almost com- church donors was.
pletely obliterated, The positioning of the
and “pushes” with scene of the Hospital-
one hand the Child ity of Abraham on
Virgin Mary forward the western façade is
towards the high not an exception – for
priest Zacharias. In example, this scene
the upper part, on is represented on
a blue background, the western façade
are two ciboria with of the Church of St
bells, and to the left Marina in Karlukovo
the Virgin Mary is (fourteenth century).
seated under a red In the Church of St
canopy in the Sanc- Nicholas Bolnički in
tuary, while a red-winged angel holds out food to her. Ohrid, the façade depicts three New Testament scenes: The Miracle
of the Loaves, the Marriage in Cana of Galilee, and Christ Appearing
The Hospitality of Abraham. The scene is located to the right of to the Apostles at the Sea of Tiberias. The first two obviously have a
the entrance, symmetrically to the Presentation of the Virgin in the Eucharistic interpretation. G. Subotić thinks that the choice and subject
Temple. The three angels are seated at a rectangular table; repre- matter of those scenes corresponds to the subject matter of monastic
sented against an architectural background are the figures of Abra- refectories.115 The closest parallel can again be found in the church
ham and Sarah. The only letters preserved from the inscription in the Dragalevtsi Monastery, where the western wall of the narthex
are сЃта тр[оёца] (Holy Trinity), but this is the most finely rendered depicts the Hospitality of Abraham and another two Old Testament
inscription in the church, with thinning ends of the letters and a scenes: The Sacrifice of Abraham, and the Prophet Elijah Fed by the
graph for the lines; it differs from all other inscriptions, which are Raven. All three scenes definitely have a Eucharistic character and are
with crooked letters and misshapen lines. regarded as Old Testament images of the Eucharist and the Eucharistic
The untraditional place of the scene of the Presentation of the
Virgin in the Temple – on the façade, below Heaven and the scene 115
Суботиќ, Г. Охридската сликарска школа од ХV век, 112-113.
Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple
 110 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
sacrifice; the scene of the Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple can
be interpreted in the same context.
Below these two scenes are standing saints, whose figures are
badly damaged and are difficult to identify – they were revealed
only during the last restoration. To the north of the entrance is a
bishop saint, in the centre is a warrior saint, and by the entrance –
an enthroned warrior saint. Despite the absence of an identifying
inscription, the enthroned warrior saint is most probably St Dem-
etrius, considering that the church is dedicated to him.
The representation of an enthroned saint repeats the scheme
for the Heavenly Ruler or High Priest – Christ enthroned, the Vir-
gin enthroned, as well as, in the post-Byzantine period, bishops en-
throned (on bishop’s thrones). In the mediaeval period, St George
and St Demetrius were the only warrior saints who were depicted
enthroned, in military dress. Apart from the general symbolic mean-
ing of the throne and the iconographic parallel to Christ, the image
of St George enthroned also illustrates a concrete episode from his
life, according to which St George sat, holding a sword, in front of
the gates of the city to protect it against the enemies. It is no acci-
dent that the enthroned image of St George is much more popular
than that of St Demetrius, and it is probable that his model was me-
chanically applied to the iconography of St Demetrius as well.
The earliest representation of St Demetrius enthroned is on
a large icon at the Tretyakov Gallery (No. 28600) from the late
twelfth century, which was created for the Cathedral of the Dor-
mition in Dimitrov,116 while the earliest enthroned representation
of St Demetrius in Bulgaria is on a gold seal of Tsar Ivan Asen II
(1218-1241) on the Charter from the Monastery of Vatopedi.117
There are very few representations of St Demetrius enthroned in
Bulgarian art, and the majority of them are on icons from the post-
Byzantine period; in monumental painting, in addition to the rep-
116
Лазарев, В. No. 20, 167; p. 41 – the large size of the icon shows that
it was probably on a wall or pillar in an ark.
117
Мушмов, Н. Монетите и печатите на българските царе, София
1924, 160.
resentation under review, I know of another two examples: on the
rocks above the Monastery of St John Kasinec at Vratsa, where five
scenes from the life of St Demetrius are depicted (1540), and in
the Church of St Demetrius in Arbanasi.
To the right (south) of the entrance is another scene of the
Royal Deesis. Although the painting is almost completely erased,
one can clearly make out the silhouette of the seated Christ with
a crown and, next to him, of the Virgin, who is shown without a
crown here. The representation of a second scene of the Royal
Deesis in one monument is extremely rare and has a parallel only
in fourteenth/fifteenth-century monuments in Kastoria – for ex-
ample, in the Church of St Nicholas of Tzotza. In the monuments in
the Ohrid area, which we otherwise use as a parallel, there are no
extant examples of two scenes of the Royal Deesis in one church.
The depiction of this scene here has a direct thematic and mean-
ingful connection with the scene of the Last Judgement. Next to
this scene, one can make out the figure of a monk saint.
Whereas it is impossible to say anything about the style of
execution of the standing figures because of their poor condition,
they were most probably painted together with the scenes of the
Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple and of the Hospitality of
Abraham. G. Subotić examines those two scenes together with the
other paintings, without commenting on their style. These scenes,
however, differ from the rest in terms of overall composition: the
scale of the scene is much larger than that of the others, the fig-
ures and faces are elongated and well-proportioned and they are
depicted in motion, the postures are lively, and the colour scheme
and the painting technique are also different.
It is certain that the painter had nothing to do with the artists
who did the main part of the wall paintings in the naos and the
Last Judgement on the façade, but he worked at approximately the
same time, around the last quarter of the fifteenth century. Below
we shall discuss the hypothesis that the same artist could have
painted the Royal Doors of the iconostasis.
The Hospitality of Abraham
Standing saints
Deesis
Eastern Wall
The Apse: The Virgin Orans with Christ; Communion of Apostles; Melismos.
Prothesis: St Archdeacon Stephen; St Daniel Stylites; St Isaurius ; St Simeon Styl-
ites. St Diaconicon: Romanos the Melode.
Eastern Wall:The Ascension of Christ
The Descent of the Holy Spirit.
Holy Mandylion and Holy Keramidion
The Enthombment; The Incredulity of Thomas
The Annunciation
Vault
Christ Pantocrator (from the Ascension of Christ), Christ the Ancient of Days, The Hetoimasia
(Lord’s Thron).
Southern wall: Prophet Habakkuk ; Prophet Jeremiah; Prophet Azariah; Prophet Solomon;
Prophet Ezekiel; Prophet Isaiah; Prophet Gedeon; Prophet Joel .
Northern wall: Sibyl; Prophet Balaam; Prophet Zacharias; Prophet Aaron(?);Prophet David;
Prophet Jacob; Prophet Daniel; Prophet Moses.
Southern wall
The Nativity; Presentation of Christ in
the Temple; The Baptism; The Raising
of Lazarus.
The Last Supper; The Washing of the
Feet; The Agony in the Garden; The
Betrayal; The Denial of Peter and the
Christ Judged by Annas and Caiaphas .
St Mercurius; St Blaise; St Pantaleimon;
St Julitta; St Cyricus; St Mark of Trace;
St Onuphrius.
St Athanasius of Alexandria; St Nicholas
the Prompt Helper; St Demetrius Grand
Voivode; St George; St Nedelya
[Kyriake]; St Petka [Paraskeva].
Northern Wall
The Entry into Jerusalem; The
Crucifixion ; The Holy Women at the
Sepulchre; The Descent into Hell.
The Mocking of Christ; Christ before
Pilate; The Road to Calvary;
The Raising of the Cross;
The Lamentation.
St Theodore Teron; St Theodore Stra-
tilates; St Procopius; St Nestor;
St Ananias; St Azarias; St Misael.
St Damian ; St Kosmas; Royal Deesis;
The Vision of St Peter of Alexandria.
Western Wall
The Transfiguration.
Judas Receiving the Thirty Pieces of Silver; The Dormition of the
Virgin; Judas Brings back the Thirty Pieces of Silver to the Chief
Priests, and the Hanging of Judas.
The Combat between St Nestor and Lyaeus; The Passion of
St Demetrius.
Archangel Michael; SS Constantine and Helena.
The Facade
The Last Judgement: Christ Pantocrator with archangels Michael and Gabriel; Deesis tier; Hetoimasia;
Heaven; The Sky, the Sea and the Earth.
The niche above the entrance: St Demetrius on horseback
Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple; The Hospitality of Abraham.
A bishop saint, a warrior saint, St Demetrius (?); Royal Deesis; a monk saint.
ІV. NOTES ON THE EPIGRAPHIC MATERIAL
 126 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
The inscriptions in churches from the fifteenth century in Bul-
garia, unlike those from the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries,
have not been sufficiently studied. The only in-depth studies in this
respect are to be found in S. Smyadovski’s comprehensive book on
Cyrillic epigraphy 118
and in the works of H. Andreev, especially in
the still unpublished Corpus of the Fifteenth-Century Monuments of
Church Painting in Bulgaria.119 Here we will use Andreev’s conclu-
sions in the Corpus, for which we thank him.
All inscriptions in the church are in Cyrillic, with one jer and
without juses (nasal vowels). This style is characteristic of the South-
western Bulgarian lands. The saints’ personal names are in the Voca-
tive (âàñ¸ë¸å, à‰»à‰íà„ ‘ñ·å, димитр∙е, ¶ìåðê?ð·å; âëàñ·å), not in the Nomina-
tive case. The inscriptions in almost all fifteenth-century churches in
Bulgaria have the same characteristics – except for the inscriptions
in the Kremikovtsi Monastery, which are with two jers and with
juses. Only the initials of the Virgin (쁸𠻁v ¸ ïàíà“ã·à), and the Cyril-
lized “Pantocrator” (w‰ ïà“í»îê‘ðà‰»îðü) are in Greek. For comparison,
it is noteworthy that most of the inscriptions in the other fifteenth-
century churches in Bulgaria, including those in the Church of SS
Theodores in Boboshevo, are mixed, i.e. in Cyrillic and in Greek.
118
Смядовски, С. Българска кирилска епиграфика (ІХ-ХV век), София
1993.
119
Андреев, Х. Новоразкрити надписи от 1475/1476 година в олтар-
ното пространство на църквата в Драгалевския манастир, Старобъл-
гаристика, ХХХІ (2007), 4, 47-86;.Андреев Х. Запазеният стенописен
епиграфски материал от ХV век в днешните български земи. (Опит за
анализ); Бакалова, Е., Г. Геров, Х. Андреев, Корпус на паметниците
на църковната живопис в България от ХV в. (collective project at the
Institute of Art Studies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences– in print).
As regards the content of the inscriptions, it is obvious that
the artists were knowledgeable in theology and used liturgical
books directly, even though they painted most of the inscriptions
in crooked letters and without drawing preliminary lines. There
are some untraditional texts, such as those on the scrolls of St Basil
the Great, St John Chrysostom and St Athanasius of Alexandria, or
the explanatory inscriptions accompanying the scenes of the Res-
urrection of Christ (адово разрушен¶е – The Destruction of Hell), the
Deposition (ð·äàí¸å àããñêîå) and the Holy Women at the Sepulchre
(камень гроба гЃспдна – The Stone of the Holy Sepulchre). Instead
of the name of the relevant scene, the inscriptions accompanying
some of the scenes are quotes from or paraphrases of the illus-
trated Gospel text – for example, in the scenes of the Prayer in the
Garden of Gethsemane, and Christ before Pilate. This directly re-
veals the artists’ already mentioned inclination towards narrativity
and “verbosity”, manifested also in the dynamic and multi-figural
compositions.
Three handwritings can be identified in the inscriptions (this is
confirmed also by the images themselves as well as by the donor’s
inscription). According to H. Andreev, the differences in the three
handwritings are most obvious in: (1) the explanations and scrolls
on the vault; (2) the scroll of Archangel Michael and in the Royal
Deesis scene – on the Gospel of Christ and the scrolls of the Virgin
and St John the Baptist; (3) the texts and scrolls of the archbishops
in the Melismos scene.
 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO 127

In addition to inscriptions accompanying scenes and per- 1. Decorative cross below the prothesis niche:
sonages, there are also acronyms around crosses. Although the I‚С Х‚С ΝИΚА – Jesus Christ Conquers – in Greek
tradition of inscribing acronyms on and around crosses dates бŤбŤбŤбŤ – бёчь божёё бёетъ бύсы
back to the Early Middle Ages, it became especially popular in сŤсŤсŤсŤ – словомъ съпасетъ сего слав­щихъ
mural painting in the fourteenth century. The acronyms them- цŤцŤцŤцŤ – цýсарьскыё цвύтъ црькъвё цвьтетъ
selves represent a formula made up of two or four initial letters дŤдŤдŤдŤ – дрύво добро¶е дёяволу досад©
of words that form a sentence. The decorative representations
2. Around the cross on the southern side of the entrance:
of the Victorious Cross surrounded by acronyms have an apo-
I‚С Х‚С ΝИΚА – Jesus Christ Conquers – in Greek
tropaic function and it is no coincidence that they are placed
цŤцŤцŤцŤ – цýсарьскыё цвύтъ црькъвё цвьтетъ
around the entrances, windows and in the prothesis of church-
дŤдŤдŤдŤ – дрύво добро¶е дёяволу досад©
es.120 Generally speaking, they signify Christ’s victory through
фŤфŤфŤŤфŤŤ – This acronym has no parallels and one can only specu-
his death on the cross over evil and the Antichrist.121 Most acro-
late what it stands for. I am inclined to accept E. Mutafov’s read-
nyms were deciphered and published back at the beginning of
the twentieth century by N.V. Pokrovskiy, who compiled a table
of the most popular acronyms on Greek crosses, which are cited
here from his publications.122 Acronyms are also to be found in
many Byzantine and Bulgarian churches from the fourteenth
and fifteenth centuries, and the monument under review is no
exception in this respect. But the Boboshevo artists surprise us
again – in two places we find an acronym which has no par-
allel; the fact that some of the acronyms in the church are in
Greek while others are in Bulgarian makes this acronym even
more difficult to decipher. In addition to the traditional places
(the entrance and the prothesis), there is also an acronym in
the scene of the Deposition. Acronyms around crosses appear
in four places in the church:

120
Walter, C. The Apotropaic Function of the Victorious Cross. REB, t. 55,
Paris 1997, 193-215.
121
Acronyms are also inscribed around the cross held by SS Constantine
and Helena, as ЕЕЕЕ.
122
Покровский, Н. В. Очерки памятников християнского искусства.
Москва 1910; Евангелие в памятниках иконографии, Москва 1912.
 128 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

ing: Φως [Χριστού] φαίνει, φυλάττει, φρίττει [πάσιν] = “The light

[of Christ] shines, protects and repels [all evil]”, by analogy with
the known: Φως Χριστού Φαίνει Πάσιν/ Σταυρέ Φυλάτε/ Δαίμο-
νες Φρίττουσι.
бŤбŤбŤбŤ – бёчь божёё бёетъ бύсы
сŤсŤсŤсŤ – словомъ съпасетъ сего слав­щихъ
пŤпŤпŤпŤ – по« почёта« поклоня« с­подвёжно
хŤхŤхŤхŤ – Χριστός Χάριν Χριστιανοίς Χαρίζει (Jesus Christ be-
stows grace on Christians).

3. Around the cross on the northern side of the entrance:

I‚С Х‚С ΝИΚА – Jesus Christ Conquers – in Greek
фŤфŤфŤфŤ
цŤцŤцŤцŤ – цýсарьскыё цвύтъ црькъвё цвьтетъ
дŤдŤдŤдŤ – дрύво добро¶е дёяволу досад©
бŤбŤбŤбŤ – бёчь божёё бёетъ бύсы
пŤпŤпŤпŤ – по« почёта« поклоня« с­подвёжно
хŤхŤ – Χριστός Χάριν (Christ bestows)

4. In the scene of the Deposition, the following acronym is in-

scribed on either side of the cross: тŤтŤтŤтŤ . This acronym is also rare
and can be read in different ways: фп‡фп ф{н фэрпн фсЭмпхуей
(фбсЬффей) – “This sign makes [demon] tremble” or: фп‡фпт фίμιος
τύπος фсЭмпхуей – “This holy sign makes [demons] tremble”. The
letter “T” in itself is also regarded as a sign of the Cross.

In some places in the church, especially on the façade, there

are scratched graffiti/inscriptions as well as drawings dating from
different periods (some are accompanied by an exact year), but
they are not the subject of this study.
V. THEMES, STYLE AND AUTHORS OF THE WALL PAINTINGS
 130 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
Themes and Style
The sophisticated thematic and iconographic concept of the
Church of St Demetrius extends beyond the scale of the church
itself and the professional skills of the painters. The interpretation
of the subject matter, of the images and of the epigraphic material
indicates a sound theological knowledge and a direct use of the Li-
turgical books by the painters. In general, it demonstrates a contin-
uation of the traditions and of the new concepts of painting from
the fourteenth century that were already applied in the churches in
Ohrid and Kastoria. This is most evident in the composition on the
vault representing the Holy Trinity idea with images of Christ Pan-
tocrator, of Christ, Ancient of Days, and of the Hetoimasia, which
appeared for the first time in the Chapel of St Gregory (1364/5)
of the Church of the Virgin Peribleptos in Ohrid. This theme was
established permanently in the painting tradition of Bulgaria and
continued to develop during the sixteenth and seventeenth centu-
ries. We have to stress here that certain specific and rare themes
and images which appeared earlier in fourteenth- century paint-
ing in Ohrid and Kastoria were introduced in Boboshevo. Some of
them are the Virgin Orans with Christ in a vessel, the Royal Deesis,
the episode with Nicodemus who is digging the grave of Christ, as
well as other scenes. The choice of themes, scenes and iconograph-
ic characteristics of the wall paintings in the Church of St Demetrius
has many parallels with the paintings in the churches in Ohrid and
Kastoria. Apparently, this was not an isolated phenomenon for Bo-
boshevo and the region. We will recall here the depiction of the
Royal Deesis in the Church of SS Theodores in Boboshevo.
The thematic repertoire of the Church of St Demetrius is not
limited to direct reproduction of prototypes from Ohrid and Kasto-
ria. As we have seen, the fact that the ancient prophetess Sibyl and
Prophet Balaam are represented in both fifteenth-century monu-
ments on the territory of western Bulgaria, Boboshevo and Draga-
levtsi, but not in the many extant monuments in the Ohrid-Kasto-
ria region, shows that the painters in Boboshevo and Dragalevtsi
also used other, different sources. In addition, the two scenes from
the Life of St Demetrius, which are the earliest in Bulgaria, are not
present in the monuments in Kastoria or Ohrid. These scenes were
included in the iconographic programme of the church because
it is dedicated to St Demetrius, and most probably, the painters
used popular iconographic models originating from Thessalonica.
А. Grabar and M. Garidis note the presence of some archaic icono-
graphic interpretations, such as those in the Last Supper and Judas
in the Communion of Apostles, as well as influences from Italian
pre-Rennaissance painting.
The style of the wall paintings reflects a primitive, naïve
movement, which transformed itself into a dominant tendency
during the centuries of Ottoman rule. M. Garidis, in his seminal
study on post-Byzantine painting in 1450-1600 and citing also А.
Grabar,123 defines the paintings in Boboshevo as archaizing and, in
the traditions of pre-Iconoclastic art, as continuing the tendencies
introduced by the wall paintings in the Zemen Monastery; how-
ever, he also notes the coexistence of new elements and the ar-
chaic and primitive style.124 He makes a clear distinction between
123
Grabar, A. Le peinture religieuse en Bulgarie, 310.
124
Garidis, M. Op. cit, 139.
 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
the paintings in Boboshevo and those in Kremikovtsi and Orlitsa,
which he defines as following “an idealistic and mannerist ten-
dency”. According to E. Tsigaridas, there were two distinct tenden-
cies in painting in Greek Macedonia (Kastoria, Veria, Servia) in the
fifteenth century: the first tendency was official, it was connected
with the Athonite monasteries and the painters who followed it
were higher-skilled; the second was anti-classicizing, and the paint-
ers belonging to it worked elsewhere in the Balkans as well. 125
These two main tendencies – the one classicizing, usually con-
nected with the capital and metropolitan centres, and the other
anti-classicizing, archaizing, manifested above all in provincial
monuments – existed side by side in both Byzantine and Bulgarian
painting in the Middle Ages. However, I believe that when speak-
ing of fifteenth-century painting in monuments like Boboshevo,
Dragalevtsi, Matka, Kosel or Vraneštica, it is not very appropri-
ate to use terms such as anti-classicizing or archaizing tendencies,
which are adequate for the processes in art from the ninth to the
fourteenth centuries. In the monuments in question, there is no
conscious effort or aesthetic preferences for reproducing archaic
or eastern models; on the contrary – as regards subject matter
and iconography, what we find here are mainly the new elements
introduced in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, which are
also found in more masterfully executed monuments such as, for
example, Kremikovtsi. As regards style, one cannot say that the
painters were reproducing archaic stylistic devices either, but that
they were simply insufficiently schooled and had more modest ar-
tistic talent.
Below I shall make a brief overview of some of the main sty-
listic characteristics of the paintings in Boboshevo.
Composition
There is an attempt to divide the composition into two sym-
125
Tsigaridas, E. Monumental Painting in Greek Macedonia During the
Fifteenth Century.
131
metrical parts and the scenes are multi-figural. The emphasis on
the narrative aspect of the scenes is the most distinctive character-
istic of the composition of the wall paintings in the church. They
contain personages and episodes of secondary importance and de-
tails taken from real life. The architectural background dominates
the composition and is inconsistent with the symbolic hierarchy
and the essence of the illustrated event; in some cases details are
treated as main accents. This is also evident in the existing dispro-
portion between the size of the figures and that of the everyday
objects.
The weakest aspect is perspective, especially of the objects
that are rectangular in shape. Especially grotesque are the thrones
and the tables in the scenes Christ Judged by Annas and Caiaphas
and the Passion of St. Demetrius as well as the bed in the Dormi-
tion.
Figures and faces
The figures are stocky, with distinctly shortened proportions,
they are rendered flatly and outlined with thick contours, and the
folds of the garments do not follow the movement of the body. The
only figures with proportionate heads and bodies are those of the
standing saints, and especially the elongated figure of the Virgin as
Queen, but they, too, are flat and without volume. The hands are
represented schematically, only with thick black contours, while
the feet are oversize and crude, even grotesque in some cases.
The artists paid special attention to the clothing, crowns, hel-
mets and other accoutrements, which are remarkable for their va-
riety, details and contrasting colours. The figures are represented
in several main types of dress: royal, military, archbishop’s and
secular, which are on the whole similar to those in the monuments
in Ohrid and Kastoria. The ornament that is almost omnipresent
consists of three raised white dots and it is very characteristic of
fourteenth/fifteenth-century painting in the Kastoria region. The
same pattern decorates the clothing of the figures in the Church
 132 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
of SS Theodores in Boboshevo, and in the Dragalevtsi and Kremik-
ovtsi monasteries, which are also connected with Kastoria.
The faces of the personages in the narrative scenes are mod-
elled in the same way – they are round, with accentuated brown
shadows, and only the hair and beards give them some individual-
ity. Similar round-faced figures are to be found in other fifteenth-
century churches as well – in Dragalevtsi, Ohrid, Kosel. The faces
of the saints in medallions are rendered with more care and more
individual features; the most interesting among them is that of the
prophetess Sybil as well as those of the three holy youths, Ananias,
Azarias and Misael.
It is obvious that the Virgin Orans with Christ in the apse,
Christ, Ancient of Days on the vault and most of the standing saints
were painted by the best artist. The influence of Palaeologan paint-
ing can be found in the modelling of the faces of the Infant Christ
in the apse, of the Holy Mandylion and Holy Keramidion, which
are rendered pictorially with fine white highlights and subtle con-
tours. The eyes of all figures are small, with fine, curved contours
of the upper eyelids.
The most original and striking face is that of Christ, Ancient of
Days – it is monumental, with a stern expression conveyed by the
distinctly large eyes and curved eyebrows. This image displays the
superior craftsmanship of one of the artists which, however, is not
 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
seen in the other wall paintings. The artist was probably inspired
by a portrait of Christ Pantocrator in the dome of a church from
the Comnenian age.
The faces of St Panteleimon and of St Nicholas, whose fig-
ures are represented above each other on the southern wall, are
completely different in style and modelling from all others in the
church. They are constructed purely by means of colour – red and
white – without contours. In addition to the faces, the hair, nim-
133
buses and garments are also constructed by using red and white
alone. It is obvious that this stylistic device was employed to place a
symbolic accent on the images of the two patron saints of Ohrid.
Very notable is the contrast between the fine and detailed
modelling of some of the faces, and the flat and decorative render-
ing of the figures – this is especially evident in the standing figures
of St Demetrius, of the Archangel Michael, and of the Holy Virgin
in the Royal Deesis.
Architecture and Landscape
There are two types of background – architectural and land-
scape. The landscapes are entirely of one type, limited to two rocky
hills situated symmetrically at the two ends of the scene, one red
and the other brown. There are only one or three hills in some of
the scenes.
Although the architectural backgrounds appear to be more
varied, they actually represent just two types of architectural set-
tings (buildings) and most probably the painters used cutouts. The
first type represents a straight fortress wall decorated with simple
ornaments, and in some scenes a crenellated fortress (Annunciation,
Christ Being Raised on the Cross, and The Passion of St Demetrius).
Variants of the same fortress are depicted in the Last Judgement,
in Heaven and in Entry into Jerusalem, where the fortress wall has
an oval shape, towers and a domed church inside. In some of the
scenes, the architectural settings merge with the natural landscape.
The second type of architectural background represents a rectan-
gular building with a blue roof, a tower with a red pointed roof
in the middle and two turrets at each end. The colouring of the
elements is different in each of the following scenes: Communion
of Apostles; The Washing of the Feet; Judas Receiving the Thirty Pieces
of Silver; Christ before Pilate; The Incredulity of Thomas; The Combat
between St. Nestor and Lyaeus. Separate from these two types is
the architectural background in the scene The Last Supper, which
 134 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
represents a grey wall with red pillars and a veil.
The architectural background in The Hospitality of Abraham
and Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple located on the façade
is entirely different from the scenes mentioned above, and proves
that these scenes were painted by other painters.
Decorative ornaments
Contrary to the overall distinctly decorative effect of the paint-
ings in the church, the actual decorative ornaments in the naos are
modest and they are located only on the lowermost part of the
walls. They are limited to two types, which were popular in the
previous centuries as well: the first is a rectangle divided by two
diagonal lines into four triangles filled with the ornament of a blos-
soming vine, in red and black (a vine is also painted around the
crosses in the entrance); the second motif is a rectangular plane
divided into rhombs between which there is a black flower, while
in the rhombs there is a red flower.
Around the entrance there is an extant ornament from the ear-
lier layer of paintings; a vertical line of yellow crosses surrounded
by a white stepped ornament, with an alternating red and blue
cross-like ornament in the circles, and alternating red and blue
planes between the circles as well.
More interesting are the ornaments around the lunette de-
picting St Demetrius on horseback above
the entrance. The arch is surrounded by
rhombs in red, blue, yellow and green
– although this ornament is to be found
even in twelfth-century monuments, here
each of the fields is filled with white flow-
ers (snowflakes); the background around
the image of St Demetrius is filled with
the same white snowflakes. On the in-
side of the arch is a frieze of red and blue
heart-shaped leaves filled with white or-
naments.
Typical of the style of the painter is
the representation of the identifying in-
scriptions in medallions: St Demetrius in
the lunette above the entrance, Christ
in the Royal Deesis, Archangel Michael,
the inscriptions accompanying the saints
in medallions, Christ on the façade. This
device is strongly reminiscent of the inscription of the names in
borders on the repoussés of icons. It is not typical of monumental
painting, even though such monuments can be found sporadically,
starting with the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople – there, however,
only the designations of Christ and the Holy Virgin are in coloured
medallions.
Probably in this case we have a regional specificity typical of
 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO 135

the fourteenth/fifteenth-century period, since the inscriptions are Helena; some of the saints in medallions and parts of the Last
decorated in a similar way in the churches of St Athanasius in Kas- Judgement on the church façade. His are also the only inscriptions
toria, of Christ Zoodotes in Embore (Albania), of St Andrew tou in Greek.
Roussouli in Kastoria, of St Athanasius in Kalista (near Ohrid), of Most of the work was done by the second painter: the Cycle
the Holy Virgin in Tuminets (Great Prespa Lake), Leskovets, Velesto- of the Passion of Christ, most of the medallions, and the main part
vo, of St Nicholas Bolnički (Ohrid), of the Holy Virgin at Matka, of of the Last Judgement. He obviously preferred contrasting colours
the Holy Virgin in Dragalevtsi, and elsewhere. Inscription of the and rhythms, as evident from the colour palette of the medal-
names and epithets of Christ, the Virgin
and the major saints within medallions,
rectangles or stars is one of the disct-
inctive characteristics of fourteenth/fif-
teenth-century monuments in the area
of Kastoria, Prespa and Ohrid.

The Authors of the Wall Paintings

It should be mentioned here that
the images in the church are not similar
in style, and some of them stand out
for their higher level of painting charac-
teristics despite being underestimated
because of the general artistic quality of
the church. This is most likely due to the
fact that several painters were involved
in decorating the church. The individual
styles of at least three painters can be
distinguished, and this is also proved
by the epigraphic material. The best-schooled painter worked less lions and the nimbuses, and the contrast between the saints’ attire
than the other too, but he painted the images and areas that are and the backgrounds. The images have relatively well-balanced
most important in the church or that are most visible. He worked but shortened proportions; their faces are oval and toned with
on the painting of the Virgin Orans with Christ, the medallion im- brown shadings. Although he attempted to capture the dynamic
age of Christ, Ancient of Days, in the vault; among the standing movement of figures and complex foreshortenings, he was unable
saints such as St Demetrius, Deesis with Christ as King of Kings, St to achieve this.
Cosmas and St Damian, Archangel Michael, SS Constantine and The signature style of a third painter who had no or less
 136 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
schooling than the other two, can be clearly identified in the wall
paintings located in the naos. He worked on the Communion of
the Apostles and the Melismos in the apse – this part of the apse is
concealed by the iconostasis and is not visible to worshippers; the
Cycle of Great Feasts in the upper rows on the northern and south-
ern walls; and most probably on some of the scenes on the western
wall. As a whole, the compositions are not entirely balanced, and
the inscriptions have crooked lines; the figures are crude and have
extremely short proportions, big heads and the faces are shaped
with thick and dark shades. These scenes are in the worst state of
preservation. The choice of these particular places is not accidental
and it is obvious that the team of painters was aware of his more
modest abilities and therefore assigned him to paint the places
that are least visible.
Most likely, the thematic concept of the whole iconography
was designed by the first painter. If we trust the donor’s inscription
and if we accept that these are the names of the three painters,
then this was probably the Hieromonk Neofit.
However, the identification of the painters remains uncertain
as no other works by them are known on the territory of Bulgaria.
It is a fact that the painters knew the fourteenth- and fifteenth-
century monuments in Ohrid very well. The many similarities and
parallels with paintings in the Ohrid churches from the fifteenth
century suggest that it is quite likely that at least one of the paint-
ers had worked previously in these churches.
The common interpretative approach becomes obvious when
analyzing a number of scenes and images from monuments such
as the churches of the Ascension of Christ in Leskovets, of the
Holy Virgin at Matka, of St Nicholas in Banica (Vevi), of the Holy
Prophet Elijah in Dolgavets, of All Saints in Lešani, etc. In many
ways, the mural paintings in the Dragalevtsi Monastery are the
closest parallel to this ensemble, and follow the same tradition.
According to G. Subotić, the same painters worked in the Church
of St Demetrius in Boboshevo and in the church in the village
of Kosel. However, the comparative analysis between Boboshevo
and Kosel shows many iconographic and stylistic distinctions; at
the same time, none of the scenes or the images are alike. Despite
the fact that both teams of painters belong to one and the same
tendency, they did not work in both churches. The iconographic
analysis has identified a number of iconographic parallels with the
Church of the Ascension of Christ in Leskovets. The style of paint-
ing is of higher artistic quality than that in the Church of St Dem-
etrius, and the composition is different – the scenes flow smoothly
into each other, with no frames, and the inscriptions are in Greek.
Nevertheless, we discovered the same saints with rare epithets like
St Demetrius Grand Voivode and St Nicholas the Prompt Helper in
Leskovets; St Nicholas occupies the same place by the iconostasis
even though he is not the patron saint of the church; the Royal
Deesis, which is a very rare scene, is also depicted in the monu-
ment; the chronological misplacement of the scenes from the Pas-
sion Cycle is similar, as well as the complex foreshortenings and
postures of the figures in some of the narrative scenes. Several
hypotheses may be possible here: one of the assistant painters
who worked in Leskovets may have been the principal author of
the concept for the Church of St Demetrius and the painter who
did the most important paintings in the church; or the wall paint-
ings in the church in Leskovets may have served as a prototype
for the scenes and images in Boboshevo. It is also possible that
the painters who painted the two churches used the same sources,
examples and models.
As regards the style, the closest parallel in my opinion is to be
found in the paintings in the Church of the Holy Virgin at Matka.
It demonstrates that the painters who decorated this church be-
longed to the same workshop, despite the fact that the church is
not in close proximity to Ohrid. Although there are many differ-
ences between the churches at Matka and in Boboshevo – because
 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
of their different architecture, donors, and so on – it seems that
there are many more similarities than differences. Whilst the poor
condition of the wall paintings at Matka does not allow us to make
any definite conclusions, it is obvious that the colour palette is
very similar, the rendering of the faces and the types themselves
are identical, and some untraditional images are repeated. There
are similarities, according to G. Subotić, in the donor’s inscriptions,
and I would say there are also similarities in the identification in-
scriptions accompanying the scenes. According to G. Subotić, the
paintings in the Church of the Holy Virgin at Matka have more
parallels to those in Dragalevtsi, and not to Boboshevo and Ko-
sel, and he even assumes that one and the same painter worked
in these two locations.126 I suggest another hypothesis: based on
well-demonstrated similarities in terms of style, colour palette and
choice of untraditional images in the churches of the Holy Virgin
at Matka and of St Demetrius in Boboshevo, it is quite likely that
at least one of the painters worked in both churches. According to
E. Tsigaridas, the style of the paintings in the Church of the Holy
Virgin at Matka is that of the painting workshop in Veria, which set
a general aesthetic line with an anti-classical character.127
Z. Nikolovska and M. Mashnić note a number of similarities
between the paintings in the Church of St George in Vraneštica and
the Church of the Holy Virgin at Matka. The most obvious parallel
is that between the Royal Deesis compositions in the two churches,
where the scene is surrounded by an arch-like frame and the figure
of Christ at the centre is much larger in size. M. Mashnić points to
the paintings at the Church of St Demetrius in Boboshevo as the
closest parallel to those in the Church of St George in Vraneštica,
but does not draw a categorical conclusion. She notes some sty-
listic similarities, such as the figure of Joseph in the Nativity in
126
Суботиќ, Г. Охридската сликарска школа од ХV век, 156-157.
127
Tsigaridas E. Monumental Painting in Greek Macedonia during the
Fifteenth Century, 58.
137
Vraneštica, which indeed has characteristics that are very similar
to those of the apostles in the Last Judgement and in some Gospel
scenes in Boboshevo. However, all other published images demon-
strate visible stylistic and iconographic differences. The coincidence
of the names of the painter Dimitar, who decorated the Church of
St George in Vraneštica, and of the priest Dimitar in the donor’s in-
scription in Boboshevo, as well as the approximately same time at
which the two churches were decorated, tempt one to hypothesize
that they were painted by one and the same painter; to my mind,
however, this does not offer sufficient evidence for attribution of
the monument with a reasonable degree of certainty.
The attribution and dating of the wall paintings on the lower
section of the façade are problematic, as it is clear that besides the
three artists who painted the naos and the Last Judgement on the
façade, other artists worked here as well. These paintings belong
to the same layer as those from 1488 (i.e. they were not over-
painted), but their poor condition makes them even more difficult
to attribute and date.
In analyzing the Royal Doors of the iconostasis of the church,
which can be dated to the late fifteenth century as well, we note
some stylistic similarities between them and the figures in the
scenes of the Old Testament Trinity and the Presentation of the
Virgin in the Temple. Most probably, the façade was completed by
artists other than Dimitar, Neofit and Bogdan, but at roughly the
same time, who then painted the Royal Doors of the iconostasis.
The wall paintings in the Church of St Demetrius have a
unique and distinctive character mainly in terms of colour, themes
and iconographic concepts, despite all parallels, similarities and
relations with the so-called Ohrid Circle.
The paintings in the Church of St Demetrius do not represent
an isolated phenomenon for the region, and it is obvious that at
 138 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
the end of the fifteenth century and during the sixteenth century
there was a common process of revitalization of religious life. We
have already mentioned the Metochion of SS Peter and Paul in
Orlitsa, built during the time of bishop Yakov of Krupnik, and a few
more churches in the area. As a preliminary observation, I would
say that at the end of the fifteenth and beginning of the sixteenth
century another painting workshop, originating most probably
from Kastoria, did the paintings in the churches of SS Theodores in
Boboshevo, of St Nicholas in Vukovo, of St Archangel Michael in
Goranovtsi, of St Nicholas and of St Archangel Michael in Sapare-
vo. Because of the fragmented state of preservation of all these
monuments, with the exception of some already mentioned scenes
and details (attire), we cannot draw parallels in terms of subject
matter, but in terms of style we can say that they represent a sepa-
rate group and are the work of other painters, different from those
who painted the Church of St Demetrius. We may add here that
just as in the Church of St Demetrius in Boboshevo, so in all other
above-mentioned monuments, no matter how fragmentarily they
are preserved, there are untraditional, rarely found and even in-
explicable iconographic interpretations. It is obvious that although
they were not very skilled, the painters who came to this part of
Bulgaria in the fifteenth century were familiar with painting from
different epochs and regions and had their own, individual inter-
pretation and vision as to the overall concept of the iconographic
programme. I will give several telling examples in this respect:
In the Church of Archangel Michael in Goranovtsi, the Melismos
scene features the archangels Raphael and Uriel, and not Michael
and Gabriel, and on the columns in front of the altar – the stand-
ing figures of Joshua the son of Nun, and the prophet Solomon; in
the Church of St Nicholas in Vukovo, in the portico is the scene of
Synaxis of Archangels; in the Church of SS Theodores – an angel on
horseback in the scene of the Nativity of Christ; in the Church of
St Archangel Michael in Saparevo – St Prohor of Pshinya. In other
words, these painters who worked in provincial, small settlements
had, irrespective of their professional abilities, a rich erudition and
were inclined to apply unexpected solutions which had their deep
theological-dogmatic and historical basis.
The influence that the paintings from the Church of St Deme-
trius had in the next centuries is undeniable, despite its geographi-
cal limits confined to Boboshevo and the area. The iconographic
tradition of the Church of St Demetrius continued to develop and
has its good examples in the decorative paintings in the churches
of St Athanasius and of the Holy Prophet Elijah in Boboshevo. The
general approach towards the entire mural decoration follows one
example and repeats rare scenes, images and details. Obviously,
the influence of the paintings in the Church of St Demetrius was
even stronger because of the importance of the Monastery as a
religious, educational and cultural centre. One way or another, we
can refer to the churches in Boboshevo as a group of distinct mon-
uments with common iconographic characteristics that were kept
from the fifteenth to the seventeenth centuries.
VI. THE ICONOSTASIS OF THE CHURCH
 140 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
The iconostasis was completely renovated in 1729 and can
now be seen at the National Art Gallery’s Old Bulgarian Art De-
partment in the Crypt of the St Alexander Nevski Cathedral (So-
fia). The only surviving part of the original iconostasis is the Royal
Doors, which can be dated to the late fifteenth century. 128
It is not
clear what necessitated the renovation of the iconostasis in the
eighteenth century.
Before proceeding to analyze the iconostasis, I will mention a
small icon of Christ Pantocrator (NMEHA No. 3834, 31 х 24 cm),
which is kept in the National Museum of Ecclesiastical History and
Archaeology (Sofia).129 According to G. Subotić, this icon was paint-
ed by one of the artists who decorated the naos of the church and
it stood in the centre of the Deesis tier of the first iconostasis.130
Unfortunately, we cannot be certain of this, as the only informa-
tion about the provenance of the icon in the museum’s inventory
book is that it is “from the Sofia region”. Although there are some
similarities between this icon and the image of Christ Pantocrator
in the Last Judgement on the façade, some of the stylistic features
of the icon suggest that it may have been painted much earlier – in
the late fourteenth or early fifteenth century.
128
In some earlier publications, these altar doors are dated to ca. seven-
teenth century. Прашков Л. Български икони. София 1985, 136, №
59. Паскалева, К. Икони от България. София 1981, p. 222.
129
V. Pandurski dates the icon to around the thirteenth century, but he is
clearly wrong. Пандурски, В. Паметници на изкуството в Църковния
историко-археологически музей – София. София 1977. L. Prashkov
dates it to the late fifteenth century. Прашков, Л. Икони от България.
София 1975.
130
Суботиќ, Г. Охридската сликарска школа од ХV век, 141.
The National Museum of History (Sofia) holds four icons from
different periods and in different styles, whose provenance accord-
ing to the inventory book is “Boboshevo Monastery”. To my mind,
however, they are not from the Church of St Demetrius but were
most probably brought to the monastery from the Church of St
Athanasius and some of the other churches in the village, therefore
they will not be discussed here.131
Royal Doors, last quarter of the fifteenth century; wood, tem-
pera; 118.5 x 65.5 x 3.7 cm.
These Royal Doors are the only surviving part of the older or
the original iconostasis. The iconography is traditional for Royal
Doors: there is a representation of the Annunciation, in which the
left door depicts the Archangel Gabriel, and above him, the Proph-
et Solomon with a scroll, while the right door shows the Virgin
standing in front of a throne and holding a spindle, and above her,
the Prophet David with a scroll. The figures themselves are elon-
gated, the folds of the garments are finely modelled and empha-
size movement, while the heads are also elongated but dispropor-
tionately large. The dalmatic of the Archangel Gabriel is decorated
with two ornaments which are also found in the wall paintings
in the church: the first and most frequently found one consists of
three dots, while the second is a flower of pearls in a circle with a
blue stone in the centre and it is the same ornament that decorates
131
Icon of St Nicholas (by Ioan Zograph from Sofia, 1723); of Apostle
Peter, seventeenth century; of the Holy Virgin, nineteenth century; of St
Procopius, nineteenth century.
Royal Doors
 142 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

the cloak of the standing figure of St Demetrius and the dalmatic

of Christ in the scene of the Royal Deesis. The modelling of the feet
of the Archangel Gabriel is very subtle; it has nothing in common
with the crude and strongly schematic representation of the feet of
the figures in the wall paintings in the naos and the Last Judgement
on the façade.
The shape of the faces, especially that of the Virgin, is very
distinctive – it is elongated, very broad at the forehead and nar-
row at the chin. The same very distinctive manner of modelling
of the heads is found in the figures in the scenes of the Presenta-
tion of the Virgin in the Temple and the Old Testament Trinity on
the façade, but there the heads are proportionate to the body. It
is possible that the painter distorted the proportion of head to
body because of the size of the Royal Doors. These Royal Doors
are especially important in clarifying the dating and attribution of
the wall paintings on the lower section of the façade. The stylistic
similarities between them indicate that the scenes of the Presenta-
tion of the Virgin in the Temple and the Old Testament Trinity on
the façade, and the Royal Doors could have been painted by one
and the same artist and approximately at the same time, around
the last quarter of the fifteenth century.
The iconostasis from 1729 consists of four icons from the Royal
tier, two arches above the doors, a Deesis tier and a Cross at the
top of the iconostasis. The woodcarvings on all parts of the iconos-
tasis are shallow, dense and gilded. Of the icons in the Royal tier,
those of Christ Pantocrator and Apostles, the Virgin with the Infant
Christ and Prophets, and of St Demetrius with Scenes from His Life,
are based on the same compositional principle and are similar in
size. The central image is framed by a relief arch topped by a floral
ornament, and on either side are six panels which are separated by
relief frames and represent the secondary images. The nimbuses
of the central figures are also in relief, and filled with floral orna-
ments, but they differ from each other. The lower section of these
icons is inscribed with the names of the donors of the icons, but
what is more important for us is the year from which we date the
whole iconostasis.
Icon of Christ Enthroned and Apostles, 1729; wood, tempera,
woodcarving; 83 x 54 x 4.6 сm. The central section of the icon
shows Christ Pantocrator enthroned; standing in attitudes of prayer
behind the throne on either side are the Virgin and St John the
Baptist, whose figures are much smaller in size. On either side of
the central image are six apostles in attitudes of prayer, arranged
vertically and separated by relief frames. The colouring is based on
the contrast between red, blue and the gold background.
Icon of the Virgin as Queen Enthroned with the Infant Christ and
Prophets, 1729; wood, tempera, woodcarving. The central section
of the icon depicts the Virgin with a crown, seated on a throne; on
either side behind the throne, the Archangels Michael and Gabriel
stand in attitudes of prayer. Represented vertically on either side
of the central section are six apostles holding scrolls with inscribed
epithets which are Old Testament prefigurations of the Virgin, and
some of them also hold the objects themselves (closed door, un-
burnt bush, mountain, ladder, lampstand, fleece). The colouring
here is also based on the contrast between blue, red and the gold
background.
St Demetrius with Scenes from His Life, 1729; wood, tempe-
ra, woodcarving; 85 x 57.2 x 4 cm. In the centre St Demetrius is
shown seated on a throne, stepping on a scorpion and holding a
spear that pierces the scorpion, while above him an angel places
a crown on his head. According to the Vita of St Demetrius, while
he was praying in prison the devil appeared in the form of a scor-
Icon of Christ Enthroned and Apostles
 144 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
pion and prepared to sting him, but the saint made the sign of the
cross and stepped on the scorpion, pronouncing the words of the
Prophet David: “Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the
young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet” (Psalm
90:13). Then an angel descended from heaven and placed a crown
on his head. The story with the scorpion is usually illustrated as a
narrative episode in the biographical cycles of St Demetrius, and it
is not included as an element of the iconography of the enthroned
image of St Demetrius which, as noted in the analysis of the wall
paintings, is not very popular. This iconographic interpretation,
which combines the enthroned image of St Demetrius with the
popular episode from his life, is not found in art and possesses
characteristics of originality.
The two uppermost panels of the icon depict St Demetrius and
St George on horseback, the former slaying the antichrist king, and
the latter slaying the dragon. The other ten panels illustrate the
last moments of the life of St Demetrius and his death, but the
scenes are not in exact chronological order. This is the largest cycle
dedicated to the life of St Demetrius in Bulgarian icon-painting,
and it contains some iconographic interpretations of the theme that
are very rare or unique in Balkan painting. The following scenes
are represented: (1) St Demetrius before Emperor Maximian. (2)
St Demetrius, captured and led to prison. (3) St Demetrius kills
the scorpion (the content of this scene replicates the image in the
centre of the icon). (4) St Demetrius again being led by a servant
before the emperor Maximian (this is probably the scene in which
Maximian orders the death of the saint, known from the old monu-
ments, but it may also be that of St Nestor before the emperor
Maximian). (5) St Demetrius blesses St Nestor. (6) St Nestor fighting
Lyaeus. (7) The next scene is difficult to identify as an illustration
of a particular literary episode: it shows three kings seated behind
an oblong table, with another male figure, with a hat and a mous-
tache, standing behind them. (8) The martyrdom of St Demetrius
– the iconography of this scene is untraditional and does not follow
the established Palaeologan model discussed in the analysis of the
wall paintings. (9) The martyrdom of St Nestor. (10) The dormi-
tion of St Demetrius. According to the Vita of St Demetrius, after
his death Christians came secretly by night, rescued his body from
the dirt where it had been thrown, and “honorably” buried it. This
episode is depicted very rarely, although it is represented even on
the silver ark from the Vatopedi Monastery (twelfth century).
Icon of St John the Baptist, 1729; wood, tempera, woodcarv-
ing; 85 x 26.5 x 3 cm.
This icon differs from the other three not only in size but also
in its warm colours. The saint is shown wearing an ochre hairy
robe, and light-orange chimation, with wings in shades of brown,
on a green background. The upper section of the icon is carved
and gilded; especially interesting is the saint’s nimbus, which re-
sembles a sun, decorated with relief rays and three red circles.
Arch above the Royal Doors. Royal Deesis, 1729; wood, tem-
pera; 51.5 x 66 x 3.5 cm.
In the centre Christ King is shown enthroned, surrounded by
an octagonal aureole made up of a blue and a red rectangle; he is
flanked by the Holy Virgin and St John the Baptist, holding scrolls
inscribed with prayer texts. Most of the background is green, filled
with white and red stars. This image was probably created under
the influence of the Royal Deesis scene on the northern wall of the
church.
Arch above the entrance of the prothesis. Christ Anapeson, 1729;
wood, tempera; 55 x 63.5 x 3.2 cm. In the centre, Christ is rep-
resented asleep on a wide throne, watched over by the Virgin on
the left. The two figures are flanked by the Archangels Michael
and Gabriel, who hold spheres. The architectural background fills
Icon of the Virgin as Queen En-
throned with the Infant Christ and
Prophets
the whole composition and consists of bright blue buildings with red
roofs. This image of Christ was introduced into iconography by Manuel
Panselinos, but it became especially popular during the post-Byzantine
period when there was renewed interest in the Palaeologan models.

Deesis tier of the iconostasis, 1729; wood, tempera, woodcarving

(the tier consists of three separate boards). In the centre is Christ Panto-
crator enthroned, flanked by the Virgin and St John the Baptist in attitu-
des of supplication, and the Apostles holding books or scrolls, seated on
thrones. All images are on a green background and they are framed by
carved ornamented arches, above which is a carved decorative frieze.

Cross at the top of the iconostasis, 1729, wood, tempera, woodcar-

ving; 109 x 111 cm.
In the centre is a cross with an image of the Crucifixion and the
symbols of the four Evangelists; six decorative ornaments are attached
to the cross. The lower section depicts, on the left, the three Maries –
with the Virgin in the middle, supported by the other two Maries; and
on the right, St John the Theologian and the centurion Longinus. These
two parts are attached to the tails of two large dragons, which support
the cross. Ornaments representing a spear and two stars are affixed on
them.

Icon of St John the Baptist

St Demetrius with Scenes from His Life
Arch above the Royal Doors. Royal Deesis
Arch above the entrance of the prothesis. Christ Anapeson
Deesis tier of the iconostasis
Cross at the top of the iconostasis
VII. SURVEY AND CONSERVATION OF THE WALL PAINTINGS
AND OF THE ICONOSTASIS
 154 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
The wall paintings were created in different periods and by
different master painters. The oldest decorative layer was found
in the naos. Elements of this layer are also traced on the south-
ern wall near the iconostasis. They are covered by the superposed
layer, is dated by the researchers 1488, based on the inscription
on the west wall. Fragments of the first layer were identified under
the figures of St Nicholas and St Demetrius of the second layer. Its
supposed height has been established at the frieze with the medal-
lions. The technology of the wall paintings on the western façade
of the old building differs in comparison with the decoration in
the naos. The scenes were painted by different master painters.
The dating of these wall paintings is subject of the art-historical
research.
The later history of the wall paintings decoration is related
to two scenes. They were on the facades of the church: an arch-
angel above the apse and an unknown saint in the patron recess
above the northern entry. They were created between 1864 and
the beginning of the twentieth century. At present these fragments
cannot be seen at the stated places. It was decided for these scenes
in particular, to be detached, transferred on a new support and
displayed separately132. In 2005 the removed wall paintings were
passed for a temporary storage in the Museum of the town of
Boboshevo.
Since 1930s the access to the wall paintings was almost impos-
sible. In 1935 emergency strengthening of the building was carried
132
The removal and treatment of these paintings were assigned to
students from the National Fine Arts Academy majoring in “Coservation-
Restoration”.
out133. Then, the sunken vault and the wall paintings respectively
were propped. Sixty eight years later, in 2003, the strengthening
structure was removed. At that time already, the large scale con-
servation treatment of the building and of the wall paintings has
been launched. They were in a very decrepit state and accessible
only for the conservators. Four years had to elapse for the putting
an end to the state needing emergency intervention. The conserva-
tion treatment ended in 2007.
Description of the painting technique based
on observations and laboratory tests
The plastering, on which the decoration is painted, is applied
on stones with different size and form, on freestone or bricks fixed
with coarse mortar and clay. The walls are 0.70 m to1 m thick. The
original plastering in the naos is single layered. A specific charac-
teristic of this plastering is that it was laid on the uneven masonry
without a preliminary coating. The surface of the plastering keeps
the uneven character of the masonry and this affected its thickness.
It varies from 1-2 mm to 1-3 cm. The plastering contains 80% lime
and up to 18% inert and organic filling134. Flax fibers thinly cut
have been used. The plastering and the fine stone beneath adhere
very well. The plastering foundation was laid upwards and it is vis-
ible from the seams formed during the laying of the next, decora-
133
The dates of the emergency works are marked on two places. On the
eastern wall of the flying buttress, on the red jointing of the plastering
the date 1935 was carved. Most probably the internal propping of the
sunken vault was also made at that time because we found the same red
plastering covering the edge of the vault from east to west.
134
Wall paintings on the western façade prior to conservation
 156 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
tive layer. The overall surface is fine and even. The difference in the
consistence of this plastering and that of the previous decorative
layer is very slight. There is similarity in terms of chemical content
and painting approach and this is a reason to suppose that well
accepted recipes were used already at those times.
The wall paintings from the end of the fifteenth century were
made with the so called „mixed technique”- they were started “a
fresco” and completed” a secco”. Traces of vegetal gums as binder
were found . The palette of the old master painter included seven
pigments. The paint layers in the scenes are very thin. The under-
paintings at the backgrounds and nimbi are dense and saturated.
The bodily parts are multilayered, with linear outlines. above. The
ultramarine and the “earth green” are very sparingly used. The
blue pigment is mainly used at the nimbi and the background and
less frequently at the vestments. At the background it is mixed
with a black plant pigment with some red iron oxide added. On
the vestments white pigment was added besides the black. The
umbra is used for the creation of an appropriate brown colour in
a mixture with vegetal black paint, red iron oxide and, to make
the mixture darker – with black, while in the grey together with
the black also white paint was added. The ultramarine and the
umbra are only used in mixtures with other pigments. The other
pigments of the palette were used both in their pure form and in
mixtures Red iron oxide is used for the framing lines for the scenes,
medallions and figures. Besides this, the red is used to obtain the
specific colour mixed with other pigments. While elaborating the
vestments and the backgrounds in the scenes only, it has been
added with a view to obtain a pink and orange shade as well as it
was used with the dark brown and dark red colours. Mixed with
the red paint, it serves as a foundation under the green tints. This
pigment (red iron oxide, known also as “red earth”) so rich in tints
and shades prevails on the site. The light ochre is used for the
vestments. At the nimbi and backgrounds to it black and red are
added. Pure red iron oxide is only used in the scenes while at the
backgrounds between the figures it lies on a foundation of black
and red iron oxide. The vegetal red paint is used only mixed with
other pigments. For the black backgrounds it is used together with
some ultramarine or with ultramarine and red. The nimbi having
black paint added are with dense dark ochre tint. The grey and
the grey-blue tints are made of mixed white and ultramarine. The
black pigment participates in the dark brown, dark red and blue
red tints. It is also used as a foundation under the green tint. The
white colour was used to create the thin framing lines. It was also
used as thick dots in the ornate decoration of the vestments. It also
participates in the light tints – grey, pink, bright blue.
The scenes with the St Kosmas and St Damian on the northern
wall are different from the other standing figures on the longitu-
dinal walls for being painted on a uni-coloured green background
(coarse-grained pigment), that was also used in the upper paint
layer. The Ascension of Christ.
The wall paintings on the western facade are made using a
variant of the so called „mixed technique”. There are no clues as to
the used binding material. It is known that the plastering here was
laid differently. The plastering for the superposed, second layer is
twofold and more than 1cm thick. The coating plastering consists
of clay, lime and straw. The proportion between the lime and the
filling is almost 1:1. The coating plastering is about 5-7 mm thick.
The fine plastering contains 58% lime and more than 30% sand;
it is 2-3 mm thick. The surface is well smoothed out. Here too, as
in the naos, the „seams” i.e. links between the laid plastering are
visible. The layers are laid downwards. The so called „graphy”, the
drawing incised in the humid plastering, is visible. On the palette
of the master painter the umbra is missing while the ultramarine
is replaced by azurite. Also the red iron oxide, the “earth green”
and the vegetal black and white are used. The yellow and the red
pigment are used separately. There is underpainting of black only
 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO 157

when azurite or “earth green” were used. The white pig-

ment is used to lighten up the tints of the background
and of the vestments and for the fixing of the bodily
parts.

State of preservation (Сondition) of the wall

paintings before the current conservation
project
Twentieth century measures undertaken for emer-
gency protection.
During the entire twentieth century the wall paint-
ings were threatened of destruction. They are an inte-
gral part of the building structure. Here is how the insta-
bility of the building has affected the whole decorative
system:
The settling of the masonry caused a „crumpling”
of the wall paintings in the most deformed parts;
The structural split of the vault impacted the wall Temporary wooden construction in the interior
paintings. The destructed areas along this huge crack
steadily grew bigger;
, the link between the plastering and the masonry
was affected much more than to the natural degree. De-
tachments (separation of the plaster from the masonry)
appeared at vulnerable places;
The plastering and of the decorative layer were
eroded. It was due to the free access of moisture, snow,
wind, freezing. Especially the moisture had a free way,
leakages had existed, often salts appeared and they are
known for their destructive effect.
Therefore in the course of the twentieth century
several emergency actions took place at this site. More
specifically the following was done with regard to the
wall paintings:
1935. The vault in the naos was propped. Structural problems of the waal paintings (detail)
 158 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

1960. A protective cover for the whole church was put in 1987138. The protective cover of the church did not serve its
place thus temporarily banning humidity and leakages. purpose any more. There were again leakages in the church. This
Although the first emergency treatment (1935) was not carried fact required the next emergency treatment.
that professionally, and the protective cover having been meant to
stay temporarily (actually it stood for 40 years), it is undoubted Condition of the wall paintings by 2002
that these two emergency treatments have contributed to protect Naos. The vault with the wall paintings decoration is cracked
the church. longitudinally. Its deformation reaches 40 cm. The walls stand
1967. Along the edges of the decayed areas (at the northern separately, disjointed. The longitudinal walls are slanting and de-
vault in the naos and on the western façade) a protective layer was formed. The plastering as an integral part of the masonry repeats
glued. the decay caused by the structural deformations. Everywhere along
1968135. A preliminary survey was carried out for
deciding that a subsequent conservation should take
place. An experiment for detachment of the wall paint-
ings was carried out, with a view of facilitating the future
strengthening of the building. The experiment was car-
ried out with the scene „Crucifixion”. One third of the
scene (its lower part) was removed with the „stacco”
method, while the upper part – using the „strappo”
technique. What happened with the removed elements
is not known. It is worth to note that in those years new
ideas and practices (mainly influenced by the experience
of Italy) for partial or integral removal of wall paintings
were introduced. This new approach might have been
also used at this site.
1983136. The concrete, clay and mortar coatings and
repairs from different periods were removed. The work
was carried out in the lower part of the walls which were
more accessible. The uncovered edges of the original Temporary wooden construction in the Naos
were strengthened without causing visible change . 137
the structural cracks parts of the original material are lost. (i.e. at

135
and tow soaked with polyvinyl acetate.
136
1983. The following team of conservators has worked: Bianka Neno- 138
1987. The following team of conservators has worked for the emer-
va, Petar Alaykov, Ivan Madzhov, Stefan Stoimenov , Vasil Stoimenov and gency treatment: Stefan Stoimenov , Vasil Stoimenov, Petar Alaykov and
at its leader Lyuba Krasovska. at its leader Albena Mazakova. Concrete data for the work places and
137
The unseen edge strengthening was made of successive lime coatings used materials is missing.
 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO 159

the northern sector of the vault). The parts that were removed in
an experiment, done some years ago are missing from the scene
„Crucifixion”. There are detachments between the plastering and
the masonry where the rotten beams and the deformations are
(at the vault, the scenes from the upper row, the standing figures,
everywhere where the masonry is cracked). In the upper part on
the eastern and western walls there is trace of leakages. They have
washed part of the pigments. The presence of salts as perceived
visually is insignificant. There is salts’ efflorescence in the areas
with high moisture concentration – infiltration moisture in the up-
 160 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

per part and capillary moisture in the lower part and on the floor.
There again, mainly on the southern and eastern walls, sectors
with deeply eroded plastering and big decay caused by the exist-
ing capillary moisture.
The flaking of the paint layer constitutes the main decay that
affects the painted layer in the naos. The largest areas with flaking
paint are along the vault, along the upper medallion frieze, mainly
on the ochre paint and the green pigment. In the lower part of the
church, along the southern wall and in the apse, there are fallen or
washed flaked parts. Only coloured foundations and pale outlines
of the images are preserved. The painted layer is turned into pow-
der in the sectors where ochre and “green earth” were used. The
binding material in these areas is eroded to a great extent. The soot
that remains at the rough surface of the plastering constitutes an-
other issue of concern. The iconographic program is unclear on the
protruding parts of the walls. A fire has caused substantial changes
in the colours. Such areas exist on the southern wall in front of the
iconostasis and on the figures of St Nicholas and St Demetrius. In
the area of the Prothesis niche the original is dim as a result of the
soot of the candles. The plastering is imbibed with wax and paraf-
fin. Some mechanical damages exist in the naos. A big portion of
the figure on the northern wall behind the iconostasis is lost. The
loss is in result of works for hewing out a niche in the wall. Part of
the wall paintings in the apse cannot be seen because of the Alter
Stone, and in the north-eastern corner – because of a small erected
wall.
Western façade. The covering of the old wall paintings, without
having destroyed them, has preserved the remains of the original
Paintings on the western wall prior to conservation (detail)
despite the multiple cuts in the plastering. The impairment and
losses in the second painting layer are caused by it having been
exposed outdoor and due to the barbaric attitude of some visitors. possible that a shed existed at this place. That could explain the
Under the image of Christ Pantokrator with the Archangels there fact that the wall paintings in the median area along the whole
are two dividing red lines with no wall paintings in between. It is width of the façade are in a better state. In the upper part of the
 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
Paintings on the western wall prior to conservation (detail)
scene of Deesis with the Twelve Apostles and of Christ Pantokra-
tor with the Archangels, the figures have partially preserved faces
and vestments. Wall paintings along the periphery of the double-
161
sloped roof are also missing, as well as around the walls of the new
narthex (dating from 1864), near the structural crack to the left
of the door and at different places at the lower part of the wall.
At these specified places along the edges of the original, pasted
protective layers exist. The wall paintings in the lower part of the
façade are those of the whole site that are in the worst state. Traces
of indistinct wall painting exist to the right of the door as well as in
the lower part (to the left). These areas have been coated with lime
wash many times. There are flaked areas and disjoining of the two
layers of the wall paintings. The deeply eroded masonry, whose
finishing upper layer is gone, can be seen. At the height of 2.50
m there are many inscriptions and drawings made with sharp ob-
jects and the greatest number of them date back in the eighteenth
century. The painted surface and part of the plastering above the
entry gate are black from the pasted lit candles. The melted wax
has penetrated the ground making big formless stains.
Conservation programme
Variants for conservation treatment
Naos. The team of specialists in charge of the site139 was faced
with the assignment so to strengthen the building that the wall
paintings dated 1488 can be saved. The issue here was that while
propping the sunken vault and joining the walls at the corners, the
wall paintings might have toppled. The detachment of the wall
paintings with the „stacco” method was not accepted. And the
reasons for this resided in the peculiarities of the given case: huge
deformations of the masonry and state needing emergency mea-
sures, fragile foundation of the plastering, many rough areas in the
plastering etc. In the discussion the idea of restoring and exhibit-
139
The conservation treatment of the wall paintings was carried out in
2002 – 2007 by a team of restorers: Stefan Stoimenov , Vasil Stoimenov,
Vladimir Tzvetkov, Svetoslav Gerdzhikov and at its head Lyuba Krasovska.
 162 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
ing the site in the state it has reached us was adopted. Thus to the
greatest extent the authenticity of the site would be preserved.
Western façade. Other problematic issues with regard to the
site were the two layered wall paintings on the western façade.
The condition set was to display the wall paintings giving priority
to the original layer.
The third variant, which in fact was implemented at the site,
was the presentation of the wall paintings in their present state.
After the conservation treatment was carried out the two layers
of wall paintings were preserved. The superposed decorative lay-
ers on the façade were not glued in the areas where they were
naturally disjoined. Thus, there is a future possibility, should it be
justified and necessary, to have recourse to a removal of the wall
paintings.
Implementation of the conservation programme
The foreseen operations for the strengthening of the original
aimed to make it physically solid and to bring it into a good state
for display while preserving at the same time the existing deforma-
tions of the masonry and of the wall paintings .140
Emergency treatment of the vault
A structural strengthening of the building was foreseen in
2002. Prior to that, an emergency treatment of the wall paint-
ings was carried out. Between the old supporting beams a solid
wooden landing was built. It allowed that the preliminary treat-
ment of the wall paintings be carried out and that the sunken vault
be propped. The later plastering layers were discarded from the
decorative surface. The deep cracks and openings in the masonry
were filled with mortar and stones. With a view of allowing the
masonry solutions flow from the vault downwards, the cracks in
the wall paintings and the shallow mechanical impairments were
140 142
filled with fine putty at a level equal to that of the original. The
decorative layer was cleansed of the overall soot and was strength-
ened. Primal AC33141 was used to glue the flaking parts. The iso-
lation between the painting layer and the subsequent pasting of
protective layers was made with Paraloid B7220. The wall paint-
ings were protected with two layers of tissue paper and one layer
thin cotton cloth (cheese-cloth) 142
. The gluing of the facing layers
encompassed the vault and its southern curb. The edges of the
decayed parts in the whole monument were pasted with a protec-
tive layer of tissue paper. Protective shields were mounted on the
so prepared surface and the respective soft pads supplied. After
these preparatory works the structural conservation works were
launched on the outer side of the vault and on the other masonry.
After these works were finished, the conservation treatment of the
wall paintings was resumed.
Initially the props had to be discarded and this was gradu-
ally done. The dismantling of the old scaffold was carried out by
removing the wedges, removing the nails and cutting parts of the
beams of the carrying structure. The wall paintings propped with
beams were eased through a successive cutting of the planks and
at the same time they were clued to the masonry. After the old and
the new props were discarded, we were granted access to the wall
paintings in this part of the church. The glued protective layer was
removed without causing impairment to the original.
After that the conservation treatment was carried out in two
stages. The first stage covered the wall paintings on the vault, on
the two rows with scenes and the frieze with the windows. During
the second stage the remaining wall paintings were treated.
141
Conservation technology: Consolidation of flaking parts – with 3% to
5% Primal AC33; Isolation between the painting layer and the protective
layers – 8% Paraloid B72; 15% polyvinyl alcohol was used for applica-
tion of the protective layers.
 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
Operations for discarding previous interventions,
for strengthening the layers and for cleansing
The strengthening of the plastering was carried out through
gluing the flaked areas (without the western façade and the south-
ern wall of the naos from the floor up to the frieze with the me-
dallions; remains of old wall paintings are found there). Polyvinyl
acetate as a tested material for emergency treatments was used for
this operation. The deep structural cracks and openings in the ma-
sonry of the northern wall near the prothesis niche and the other
decayed areas were filled with stones and coated with mortar. The
small brick wall from later time situated in the south-eastern corner
of the Altar was removed. After it was dismantled a painted frag-
ment from the ornamentation belt was uncovered. The later Altar
Stone and the humid filling of clay and stones in the apse were
removed. The original dividing line of the upper scene was found.
The small wall at the front was rebuilt to its original height.
The cleaning of the decorative surface was made in a double
combined way, depending on the type of the soot. The remains
of the later plastering were removed mechanically, the wax was
removed hermetically and with turpentine; the traces of leakages
and dust were cleansed with water and alcohol, the remains of the
Paraloid B72 used during the pasting – with toluene. In many places
the wall paintings were cleaned with rubber. The salt incrustations
on the surface of the wall paintings were cleaned mechanically.
The flaking parts on the painting surface were consolidated
with Primal AC33, while the powdered painting layer – with poly-
vinyl alcohol143.
Final phase of the conservation of the wall paintings
During the filling of the destructions in the masonry and of
143
The percentage of polyvinyl alcohol, contained in the solutions, takes
into account the condition of the original; most frequently a 3% solution
was used.
163
the damaged areas of the original plaster around, big areas of new
plastering emerged mainly in the upper part of the church and
they distracted the view and impaired the iconographic continu-
ity. Toning these areas was not possible. Tests with a couple of
coloured coatings were carried out and one coloured coating was
laid overall where needed. The decorative coatings have a slightly
rough surface, stick to the original and their level is lower than
that of the original. Their colour is close to the general spectrum of
colours and this helps setting out the original. Only the sunken lon-
gitudinally vault displays bare masonry. The mechanical impair-
ments and the shallow cracks in the plastering were filled with fine
putty up to the level of the original.
Retouching in the artists manner is generally accepted to be
used for wall paintings with minor decay. Retouching in “chro-
matic selection” on the scenes overburdened with graphic details
in the instance of minor decay, mainly on the background, is not
appropriate. The areas having remained only with a foundation
are slightly toned. Retouching was carried out in a very fine man-
ner, with watercolour paints and in a tint, lighter than that of the
original. The only reconstruction that was carried out is that of
the ornamental plinth under the standing figures and is based on
uncontested data.
The Iconostasis
The wooden iconostasis in the naos dates from the same pe-
riod as the wall paintings (1488). There is undeniable proof for
this: original elements of the wooden structure of the iconostasis
are preserved. An original beam in the floor was laid with a groove
for fixing the front elements of the iconostasis. The upper wide and
solid beam defining the height of the iconostasis has also been pre-
served. This beam is wrought manually and is set into the wall. On
the northern and southern walls dividing lines are traced pointing
 164 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

to the exact position of the iconostasis. This framing also proves the original iconostasis is its wooden construction, which is integral
that the structure of the iconostasis was in-built prior to the putting with the entire decoration of the 15th century, it was decided not to
of the plastering and the decoration. make reconstruction of the missing elements. In its current “bare”
The iconostasis has been set to fire and was subsequently re- structure iconostasis contributes much more to the perception of
organized. Some elements of later variants of the iconostasis have the authenticity of the decoration of the church.
been preserved. One of the Royal’s icons, which has been dated, is
of special interest. The original inscription mentions the year 1729.
In 1969 a team of restorers found the following icons and elements
on the church iconostasis: Royal Doors, Royal icons – of Saint Dem-
etrius with scenes of his life, of the Holy Virgin Enthroned with the
Infant Christ and Prophets, of Christ Enthroned and Apostles and
of Saint John the Baptist, the arch above the Royal Doors with
Royal Deesis, the arch above the entrance of the prothesis with
Christ Anapeson, the Deesis tier of the iconostasis, the Cross at the
top of the iconostasis. After their conservation, these iconostasis
elements can be seen at the National Art Gallery’s Old Bulgarian
Art Department in the Crypt of the St Alexander Nevski Cathedral
(Sofia) .144
The icons were mounted on the iconostasis after a partial fire
(judging from the burnt fragment of the wooden structure on the
southern wall. It is possible that they were brought after the fire
from another church because the back of the icon that hides the
burnt area bears no traces of fire. (Fig…- graphical reconstruction
of the iconostasis)145. At present the iconostasis, in its shape that sur-
vived until the middle of the twentieth century, is divided in two: its
wooden construction with a lot of data regarding the first iconostasis
is in the church, while the other elements are in a museum.
Conceder the fact, that the 18th century elements of the iconos-
tasis are in museum in Sofia, and the fact that the only element of

144
The team members were: Lyubomil Delchev, Todor lakov, Stayka
Popova and its leader Zdravko Barov. In 1969-1970 this team carried
out conservation of the elements of the iconostasis.
145
2008 – Vladimir Tzvetkov made the proposal and the graphic project,
consultant was Ivanka Gergova.
 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
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 170 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

ABREVIATIONS

CA = Cahiers archéologiques
DOP = Dumbarton Oaks Papers
REB = Revue des études byzantines. Paris
Гл. САНУ = Глас Сръбска Академия Наука и Уметности.
Београд
ГНМ = Годишник на Народния Музей
ГСУБФ = Годишник на Софийския Университет Богословски
Факултет. София
БАН =Българска академия на науките. София
ЗЛУ = Зборник за ликовне уметности. Матица српска
Зограф = Зограф. Часоспис за средньвековну уметност. Бео-
град
ЗРВИ = Зборник Радова Византолошког Института. Београд
ИАИ = Известия на Археологическия Институт. София
ИБАИ = Известия на Българския Археологически Институт.
София
ИИД = Известия на Историческото Дружество. София
ИИИ = Известия на Института за Изкуствознание. София
ДЧБЕ = Делфßпн ф\т Чсйтфйбнйк[т Бсчбйплпгйк\т Ефбйсеßбт.
БиЮнб
ЧБЕ = ЧсйуфйбнйкÞ БсчбйплпгйкÞ Ефбйсеßб. Ухмрпуßп
ΒυζαντινÞò кбй МефбвυζαντινÞò Бсчбйплгßбт кбй
ФÝ÷íçò. Рсьгсбммб кбй ресйлÞшейт ейуÞгÞуещн кбй
бнбкпйюуещн.
 Sibyl and Balaam

Prophet Moses and Prophet Daniel

 52 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
in the Church of the Virgin Peribleptos in Ohrid, as well as in the
churches of SS Constantine and Helena and of the Holy Virgin
Bolnička also in Ohrid – and in the fifteenth century, in all churches
belonging to the Ohrid circle. In Bulgaria, this vault programme
45
was adopted in the fifteenth century, the first example being in the
Dragalevtsi Monastery, and became popular in different variants
over the next centuries – especially in the seventeenth century. The
three images – of Christ Pantocrator, of Christ, Ancient of Days, and
of the Hetoimasia, in which in addition to the implements of tor-
ture the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove should also be depicted
– have been interpreted as a specific variant of the Holy Trinity.
These images on the vault have concrete eschatological as well as
liturgical meaning.
3. Medallion Frieze with Prophets
The uppermost tier below the vault on the northern and south-
ern walls features a frieze consisting of sixteen medallion images of
saints with scrolls on which are inscribed texts from the prophecies
of the Incarnation of Christ, most of which are Old Testament pre-
figurations-epithets of the Holy Virgin. The texts on the scrolls of
the prophets are quotes and interpretations based on the #Бнщиен
пs Рспц\фбй which are common in Byzantine iconography.
Southern wall: Prophet Habakkuk прwркь47 àâàꁹ with a scroll
inscribed ïðý丒 áëãäü‘òü åã(î); Prophet Jeremiah прwркь åð·’츓à“, with
a scroll inscribed ï?òå ⸉äåa çðàñëîâå äâ; Prophet Azariah прwркь
çàð·à, with a scroll inscribed àçü â¸ýa ã(î)ë?áà“ ñü íáñü ñü[õîæäåù¸];
Prophet Solomon прwркь ñwM¡ìPíü, with a scroll inscribed àçü w”äðü òå‘…
íà”ðåê‘wa; Prophet Ezekiel прwркь åç·ê·ëь , with a scroll inscribed àç àæå
45
Грозданов, Ц. Охридското tидно сликарство од ХІV век, 141, 162-
165; Суботиќ, Г. Охридската сликарска школа од ХV век, 173-174.
46
Грозданов, Ц. Ibid.
47
Because of the lack of a superscript character for omega W, we write
the word “прwркь” in full.
ïðýæDå ?(ã)ëü íàðå’[êîõü]; Prophet Isaiah прwркь ·ñดà , with a scroll
inscribed äâðü òå áæ¸þ çàòâîðåí[à]; Prophet Gedeon прwркь ãåDwíü,
with a scroll inscribed ð?íî òå íàðåêîõü; Prophet Joel прwркь ·w·(ëü),
with a scroll inscribed àç à“æå òå˜ íà“ðå“êîõü çâ[åçäà]
Northern wall: Sibyl прwрк· ñ·â¸ëà, with a scroll inscribed îòü áü
áåçí(à)÷åëåíü ïðîñòü [î]ò; Prophet Balaam прwркь âà…ëà’[à]ìü, with a
scroll inscribed àçü ïðý(ä) íàðåêîa ïðýæ[äå]; Prophet Zacharias прwр-
кь çàað·à, with a scroll inscribed àç åU ñâýùí¸êü ñå[ä]ìîç[ð]à÷[í¸]; The
inscription identifying the prophet is obliterated, this is probably
Prophet Aaron (?), with a scroll inscribed âü[....]î[....] äýâå; Prophet
46
David прwркь äàâ¸òü,48 with a scroll inscribed [à](ç) (ê)[î]â÷åã ò[å í]
àðåêîa; Prophet Jacob прwркь ¶àêîâü, with a scroll inscribed àçü [....]
òå íà[ï]¸ñàa [....]; Prophet Daniel прwрê“ äà(í)[¸]ëü, with a scroll in-
scribed ãîð? ì¸ñëüí?þ òå; Prophet Moses прwрê“ ìˆî·ñ¸“, with a scroll
inscribed àçü ê?(ï)¸í? òå (íàðå)ê[î]õ.
Among the traditional images of Old Testament prophets in
the medallions, two ancient personages are also depicted: Sibyl
and Balaam. Even A. Grabar devoted special attention to the im-
age of Sibyl in Boboshevo, expressing the opinion that the royal
garb and crown of the prophetess combine the characteristics of
two personages – the Jewish УЬввз and the Ethiopian Queen of
УбвЬ.49 In the earliest patristic literature – for example, in Euse-
bius of Caesarea and St Irenaeus of Lyons – we find the motif of
Sibyl’s prophecy of the coming of Christ.50 Ancient personages in
church art have repeatedly attracted the attention of scholars and
are interpreted in scientific literature. The earliest representation
of Sibyl, according to travellers’ descriptions – which, however,
remained an isolated case in its day – is the scene of the Tree of
48
In Boboshevo there are also some interesting phonetic replacements
of voiced consonants by voiceless consonants as, for example, in the
inscription accompanying the Prophet David: ïððêü äàâ¸òü < äàâ¸дъ.
49
Grabar, A. Le peinture religieuse en Bulgarie, 306-307.
50
P. G., t. 20, 1286, 1290.
 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
Jesse in the Basilica of the Nativity (1169) in Bethlehem,51 but
her image was established in church art on the territory of Serbia
during the reign of King Milutin.52 Sibyl, depicted as a Samovila,
is portrayed in the Church of St Achilleus in Arilje (1295/6) and
in the exonarthex of the Church of the Virgin of Ljeviš in Prizren
(with the figures of Plato and Plutarch); her image in Žiča is prob-
ably from the same period. The eastern physician Balaam is also
represented in Arilje in the scene of the Tree of Jesse as well as in
the Church of the Virgin of Ljeviš, where he appears among the
Old Testament prophets. Later, these images were also established
in the Hermeneia of Dionysios of Fourna.
Sibyl is also represented in the church of the Dragalevtsi Mon-
astery, again in a medallion in a frieze with prophets. The image
of Sibyl is found in some later Bulgarian monuments, for example
in the refectory at the Bachkovo Monastery, in the Church of the
Nativity in Arbanasi, and in the Church of the Holy Prophet Eli-
jah in Boboshevo. Some scholars are of the opinion that Sibyl is
53
also depicted in the Church of SS Theodores in Boboshevo beside
the Virgin in the scene of the Annunciation. This identification is
54
obviously wrong: the personage portrayed here is King Solomon
who, together with King David, is often represented in the scene
51
Vincent, H., Abel, Fr. M., O. P., Bethléem, la sanctuaire de la Nativité.
Paris 1914, 147.
52
Дуйчев, И. Древно-езически мислители и писатели в старата бъл-
гарска живопис. София, 1978; Медаковић, Д. Представе античких
философа и Сивила у живопису Богородице Левишке. ЗРВИ, 6, 1961,
43-57; Давидовић-Радовановић Н. Сибила царица етиопска у живопи-
си Богородице Львешке. ЗЛУ, 9, 1973, 29-42; Wasserstein, A. Byzantine
Iconographical Perceptions in a Jerusalem Manuscript. BZ 66, 1973, 383-
386; Taylor, A. Historiated Tree of Jesse. DOP 34-35, 1980-81, 125-176,
141; БчеймЬуфпх-РпфбмйЬнпх, М. Фь рсьвлймб мйAт мпсц\т Wллзнпт
цйлпуьцпх. ДЧБЕ, 6, 1972, 70-71; Воjводић, Д. Зидно сликарство
цркве Светог Ахилиjа у Арильу. Београд, 2005, 153.
53
Флорева, Е. Църквата Пророк Илия в Бобошево. София 1978, 46-47.
54
Панайотова, Д., Бошков, А. Към въпроса за взаимните връзки
между българското и румънското изкуство през ХІV-ХVІІ век. ИИИ,
VІІ, София 1964, 59.
53
of the Annunciation.
The images of Sibyl and Balaam are not found in monuments
in the Ohrid-Kastoria region. The fact that the ancient prophetess is
represented in both fifteenth-century monuments on the territory
of western Bulgarian, Boboshevo and Dragalevtsi, but not in the
many extant monuments in the Ohrid-Kastoria region, shows that
the painters in Boboshevo and Dragalevtsi also used other, differ-
ent, sources. It is difficult to say whether these were monuments
on the territory of mediaeval Serbia55 or similar representations
existed in the destroyed Bulgarian churches.
4. New Testament Scenes
The scenes illustrating the New Testament narrative begin from
the eastern wall with the scene of the Annunciation and end on the
eastern wall again, with the Descent of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost).
According to the already established iconographic tradition, there
is an attempt to divide them thematically and spatially into two
cycles: of Great Feasts and of the Passion of Christ. The Cycle of
Great Feasts is on the upper tier below the medallion frieze with
prophets and above that of the Passion of Christ. This principle is
followed on the southern wall, but the scenes on the northern wall
do not follow strictly the chronology of the Gospel narrative and
the division into two Cycles, therefore to follow the chronology
the scenes on the upper and lower tiers must be viewed in alter-
nating order. This arrangement of the scenes is found as early as
the fourteenth century – for example, in the Church of St Peter in
Berende and in the single-aisled churches in Ohrid. It is the product
55
Дуйчев, И. Древно-езически мислители и писатели в старата
българска живопис. София 1978; Медаковић, Д. Представе антич-
ких философа и Сивила у живопису Богородице Левишке. ЗРВИ, 6,
Београд 1960, 43-57; Давидовић-Радовановић, Н. Сибила царица
етиопска у живописи Богородице Львешке. ЗЛУ, 9, Нови Сад 1973,
29-42.
 54 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
of the thematic expansion of the Passion Cycle in the fourteenth
century and the mechanical addition of the scenes from it to the
Cycle of Great Feasts. The arrangement of the scenes in the major-
ity of fourteenth/fifteenth-century churches is the same, and it is
similar to that in Boboshevo. The most complete variant of the
Passion Cycle is represented in the Serbian monuments from the
fourteenth century. It is probably because of the small size of the
church in Boboshevo that two of the scenes from the Passion Cycle
were painted on the eastern wall.
A. Grabar, in the chapter devoted to the paintings in Boboshe-
vo in his book Le peinture religieuse en Bulgarie, offers a detailed
and in-depth analysis of the iconography of the scenes from the
cycles of Great Feasts and the Passion of Christ, examining them
in the context of all Orthodox and West European mediaeval
painting. His conclusions are valid in some respects and remain
relevant to this very day, but it must be noted that most of the
fifteenth-century monuments which we use as concrete parallels
and which outline the general tendencies in the epoch and region
under review were not known in his time. On the other hand,
some of the inaccuracies are due to the poor condition of the wall
paintings at the time and the impossibility to identify some scenes
and images. G. Subotić also refers to A. Grabar’s analysis, but he
accurately identifies the scenes and the iconographic programme
as a whole, and places them in the context of fifteenth-century
painting in the Ohrid area.
Cycle of Great Feasts
The Annunciation (Luke 1:26-38), (25 March). Eastern wall, on
the left and right of the apse. The inscription áëãî / âåˆùå’í·å¨ begins
on the left of the apse and continues on the right. On the left is
Archangel Gabriel (à‘ða¡ããëü ãà¨âð·ëü), with red wings, holding a tall
sceptre in his left hand and blessing with his right; he is dressed in
a red dalmatic and loros, but wears tsarvuli56 on his feet. Behind
Archangel Gabriel is a fortress wall and two sky segments. On the
right of the apse, the Virgin (쁸𠻁v) is shown standing in front of a
throne, holding a spindle in her left hand and making a conversa-
tional gesture with her right; the architectural background is similar
to that behind Archangel Gabriel.
The Nativity (Matthew 2:1; Luke 2:1-20), (25 December)
ðîæäñòâî. Southern wall, by the altar. This scene is in poor condi-
tion. The iconography is traditional, it contains all compulsory ele-
ments and the figures in the composition are arranged according
to the long-established scheme. In the centre, the Virgin is repre-
sented lying on a red bed; on her right lies the swaddled Christ
Child, watched over by a donkey and a cow. On her left are the
three Magi, above whom are two angels. In the foreground, on the
left, Joseph is shown seated, resting his head on his hand; in the
centre is a maidservant who pours water from a jug over the Christ
Child in a font (there was probably a second maidservant in the
scene, but the right-hand section of the painting is missing). This
episode is absent in the canonical Gospels, but it is described in the
Protoeuangelium Iacobi and the Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew, and it
must obviously have been quite popular considering that it made
its way into Byzantine iconography as early as the ninth century.
The upper right section of the composition depicts the Annuncia-
tion to the Shepherds.
Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Luke 2:22-38), (2 February)
[ñðý]òåí·å [ã]íå. Southern wall. The scene is in very bad condition.
In the centre is an altar table with a ciborium; on the left of the
altar table are shown the Virgin (쁸ð) carrying a basket and St Jo-
seph holding a dove. On the right are Simeon with the Christ Child
and the prophetess Anna with a scroll inscribed: ñ[¸·] ìëäåOå[öü] (í·)
56
Traditional cattlehide or pigskin boat-shaped shoes.
The Annunciation
 56 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
í(á)î ¸ ç[åì¸]. H. Andreev has found that this text originated in
homiletic literature where the prophecy of Anna, which is hinted
at in the Gospel of Luke (2:38), is expounded. Different variants of
this inscription are found even in art from the Comnenian period,
but of the close parallels I will note the text on the scroll of the
The Nativity
prophetess Anna in this scene in the Dragalevtsi and Kremikovtsi
monasteries. The iconographic variant in which Simeon is shown
holding the Christ Child was extremely rare in this period; it is to
be found Godivje, in the Church of St George in Vraneštica, and in
Leskovec.
The Baptism (Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22),
(6 January) крщение ãíå. Southern wall. In the centre of the compo-
sition is Christ in the River Jordan, naked, without a loincloth; on
him fall three rays, in the middle one of which is the Holy Spirit
in the form of a dove, descending vertically. St John the Baptist is
portrayed on the left, dressed in a goat-hair robe, with his hand
stretched above Christ; behind him is the tree and probably the
axe, which is not visible today, which illustrates his prophecy (Mat-
thew 3:10; Luke 3:9). On the right are four angels with nimbuses in
different colours, their outstretched hands covered with cloths. In
the water are detailed representations of fish and sea animals, and
in the lower section where the painting is lost, probably also of the
allegorical figures of the Sea and the River Jordan. The landscape
background shows two rocks. This scene, as the previous two, are
the work of the least skilled painter of the group that painted the
church in Boboshevo – the figures are with shortened proportions
and in schematic postures, and the contour is thick and crude; the
inscription is in two crooked lines.
The Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:1-9; Luke 9:28-
36), (6 August). преwбражене ãíå; ãîðà »àâîðü ñý The scene is located
on the western wall above the Dormition of the Virgin, and con-
tains three episodes. On the left are three apostles and Christ who
holds a scroll and leads the apostles to Mount Tabor. Christ is rep-
resented in an unusual way – wearing a red Jewish headscarf, for
which there is no explanation and, to my knowledge, which has no
parallel. In the centre is the actual Transfiguration: the mountain is
depicted as a tall rock, while in the centre Christ is shown dressed
in white, within a blue mandorla; on his right is Moses and on
his left the Prophet Elias. All three central figures are framed by
one aureole. The figures in the Church of the Virgin Peribleptos
are portrayed in a similar way, within one aureole – Christ is in a
blue mandorla, and he and the prophets Elias and Moses are sur-
Presentation of Christ in the Temple The Baptism
 58 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

rounded by one blue aureole. The lower section shows the three monuments in the Ohrid and Kastoria areas. Christ is shown riding
apostles, fallen in expressive postures. On the right of the compo- an ass, and in front of him are the citizens of Jerusalem who wel-
sition are the apostles, led away by Christ. Among the fifteenth- come him – they are depicted wearing clothes in different colours
century monuments that are a close parallel to
the one under review, a scene of the Transfigu-
ration containing three episodes is represented
in Leskovec and Dragalevtsi.

The Raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-46).

Southern wall. There are missing fragments
of the painting. The background shows two
rocks, as in the Baptism scene, but they are
connected in the middle by a fortress wall with
a tower. The composition is multi-figural and
divided symmetrically into two parts: on the
left is Christ (¶ñ õñ ) and the apostles, and on
the right, Lazarus, wrapped in grave-clothes,
stands in front of a vertical tomb, with a group
of people behind him. In the centre below,
kneeling at the feet of Christ, is Martha or
Mary (only one of the female figures can be
made out).
On the whole, the scene was probably ex- The Transfiguration. Detail

ecuted by the least skilled painter, who also

painted the Nativity, the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, and
the Baptism, but the figure of the kneeling woman differs from the
others in its skillfully conveyed movement and very expressive face
modelled in detail, with fine white highlights.
The Entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11: 1-11;
Luke 19:29-44; John 12:12-19) [å]ð?ñàë¸[ìü]. Northern wall (by
the corner with the western wall). On the whole, the iconography
of this scene is found in a number of fourteenth/fifteenth-century
and with long beards. The city itself is surrounded by a high for-
tress wall with a tower with square turrets, and in the centre is a
domed church, which is a stylized representation of the Anastasis
Rotunda in Jerusalem. In front of the ass is the half-naked figure of
a child, represented in expressive motion in the action of undress-
ing at the feet of the ass – an identical figure is depicted in most
of the monuments used as a parallel in this study. Behind Christ is
a tall tree, in the crown of which is the figure of a child; another
child hugs the trunk and climbs up the tree. This scene has a very
The Transfiguration
 60 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
The Raising of Lazarus
conspicuous “comic” detail – the hooves of the ass are not only
disproportionately large, but they are also turned the wrong way
round, backwards.
The Descent into Hell (Resurrection) (Gospel of Nicodemus; St
Epiphanius of Cyprus). âüñêT¡ðñ[åí¸å ãíT¡å]; адово разрушен¶е (Resurrec-
tion of the Lord; Destruction of Hell). Northern wall. In the centre,
Christ ¶ñ õñ is shown surrounded by a blue and red aureole with
rays, holding a large cross in one hand and reaching out to Adam
with the other; on the right are St John the Baptist and Old Testa-
ment kings (David, Solomon). In this scene, too, the personages
The Entry into Jerusalem
are with nimbuses in different colours. The lower section depicts
the allegorical figure of Hell, lying chained.
The traditional inscription accompanying this scene is сошествие
во адъ (Descent into Hell), but here we have two different inscrip-
tions вьскресен¶е ãíå (Resurrection of the Lord)57 and адово разрушен¶е
(Destruction of Hell), the latter of which has no analogue. They
reveal the two aspects of the main idea in the scene of the Descent
into Hell – the Resurrection of Christ, through which death is over-
come, which is declared in the Easter Troparion.
57
This inscription is not an exception; the same inscription is to be found
in Dragalevtsi.
The Descent into Hell (Resurrection)
 62 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
The Ascension of Christ (Mark 16:19-20; Luke 24:50-53; Acts
1:9-11) âü(ç)íåT(í)[¸å] ãíå. Eastern wall and vault. In the centre, the
Virgin is shown with her head lifted upwards, not frontally but in
profile to the left. She is flanked by two angels pointing up with
one hand and holding in the other unfurled scrolls on which is
inscribed a text paraphrasing Acts 1:10-11. On either side of the
Virgin are six apostles, portrayed in profile with raised hands and
dressed in different colours. On the vault is the medallion depict-
The Ascension of Christ
ing Christ described earlier in this book, in the section devoted to
the paintings on the vault.
The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost) (Acts 2:1-11) стое
пенDикос·е. Eastern wall, above the apse. The lower section of the
scene is in an arched frame that follows the curved shape of the
apse. The upper section shows a small bust of Christ Emmanuel
in a sky segment, blessing with both hands and flanked by two
 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
suns. Below Christ are the apostles, in two groups of six each, with
alternating nimbuses in blue, red and yellow. Below the apostles,
in an arched red frame, the figure of the Cosmos is depicted in
royal attire, holding a large cloth in his outstretched hands. In the
inscription accompanying the scene, the Greek word for Pentecost
is written in Cyrillic characters – obviously, both words for this feast
were in use in Bulgaria during the Middle Ages, as this scene is
designated in the same way in the Boyana Church (1259).
The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost)
63
The Dormition of the Virgin (15 August) ?ñïåí¸å ïðýñòî¸ áöå.
Western wall. The body of the Virgin lies on a rectangular bed;
the figure is flat and strongly stylized. On either side of the Virgin
are the apostles and two bishops, the one on the left holding an
open book inscribed: áëàæåí¸ íåïîðî÷[í¸]. This is the beginning of
Psalm 118:1, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in
the law of the Lord,” which is included in the Funeral Service and
is inscribed in the scene of the Dormition of the Virgin in some
 64 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
fourteenth-century monuments. On the left, behind the apostles,
three female figures are also represented, probably under the in-
fluence of one of the episodes from the cycle devoted to the death
of the Virgin. In front of the bed is depicted an angel in military
dress with outstretched wings, swinging a long curved sword at
Iephonius.
Especially noteworthy is the central section of the composi-
tion, which is a truly remarkable decorative and chromatic achieve-
ment. In the centre is Christ with the soul of the Virgin; above him
The Dormition of the Virgin. Detail
is a red seraph on a blue ground, flanked by two angels with red
wings, one dressed in red and the other in blue – the three figures
are surrounded by a white aureole in the shape of a pointed arch.
Around the aureole are depicted only the nimbuses of angels, al-
ternating in red, blue and yellow, which creates an interesting dec-
orative effect; these nimbuses are surrounded by a white aureole
with rays. These images make up a separate composition within
the overall scene.
The Dormition of the Virgin
 66 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
Cycle of the Passion of Christ
The Last Supper (Matthew 26:17-35; Mark 14:12-31; Luke
22:7-38; John 13:1-17, 26). вечер таёнаа. Southern wall (by the al-
tar). Christ and John, who leans towards him, are shown seated at
the left side of a semicircular table, while at the right side is Judas
who reaches across the table towards a large bowl of fish; seven of
the apostles are seated behind the table, and three are in the fore-
ground, in front of the long side of the table. All apostles are without
nimbuses, and they are shown in dynamic postures, gesturing in
conversation. The background depicts a wall with tall towers, be-
tween which is draped a multi-coloured veil. As A. Grabar notes, this
scene interprets an archaic, eastern iconographic scheme found in
miniatures in some manuscripts which, however, was rarely used in
Byzantine painting from the eleventh to the fourteenth centuries. 58
The Last Supper composition in the “church” in Ivanovo follows a
similar model, but it has four apostles in the foreground. The table
is with a tablecloth, and in addition to the bowl of fish, there are a
tall candlestick with a burning candle, a chalice and two knives on
it. There is a candlestick on the table in the scene of the Last Supper
in the church in Staro Nagoričane, in Leskovec, in the Dragalevtsi
and Kremikovtsi monasteries. According to A. Grabar, the candle-
stick is as well an archaic detail, especially considering its specific
form which shows that the candlestick is designed to stand on the
floor, not on a table. A similarly shaped candlestick is depicted in the
scene of the Dormition of the Virgin, standing on the floor in front
of her bed. Another more rarely found detail is the bowl of fish on
the table, which again points to a connection with the Ohrid monu-
ments – it is also represented on the table in the Last Supper scene
in the church in Leskovec, where otherwise the overall composition
is different, and in the Church of the Holy Virgin at Matka, while in
the Kremikovtsi Monastery there are two bowls of fish.
58
Grabar, A. Le peinture religieuse en Bulgarie, 312.
The Washing of the Feet (John 13:3-11) wì¸âå(í)[·å] ãíå. South-
ern wall. Christ is portrayed standing, girded with a towel which
hangs by his left hand, in which he holds a jug and pours water
over a basin. Apostle Peter is seated at a higher level, with his skirts
tucked up, one foot on the rim of the basin and the other in it,
pointing at his head with one hand. The other apostles are shown
seated aside and removing their sandals. It is obvious that this scene
is modelled on an iconographic scheme that is typical of a number
of monuments from the “Macedonian school of painting”.
The Agony in the Garden (Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42;
Luke 22:39-46; John 18:1). Inscription in two lines: ä[à àùå w÷å
âüçìîæíî åT¡ äà ì](¸)ìî ¸äåòü (Matthew 26:39). Southern wall.
Christ is represented three times: in the left section of the com-
position he is shown praying, with arms raised towards the sky; in
the centre of the composition, he is in conversation with Apostle
Peter; in the right section, he is shown praying again, while above
him are inscribed the words from Matthew 26:39. The entire fore-
ground is taken up by the figures of the sleeping apostles, depicted
in different postures and with an obvious attempt to portray the
heads and bodies in complex movements and at complex angles.
The Agony in the Garden composition featuring three repre-
sentations of Christ is typical of art from the Palaeologan period; it
is found in the paintings of Michael and Eutychios, in Lesnovo, and
elsewhere.59 The disposition of the figures of the sleeping apostles,
and the especially distinctive figure in the centre, portrayed from a
complex perspective from which only the crown of the head is vis-
ible, is an exact reproduction of the compositions in the churches
of the Virgin Peribleptos in Ohrid, of St Nicholas Orfanos in Thes-
salonica and in other fourteenth-century monuments. This image
appears in Byzantine art from the Palaeologan period mainly in
59
Мильковиќ-Пепек, П. Делото на зографите Михаило и Еутихиj.
Скопjе 1967, 161-162.
The Last Supper
 68 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
The Betrayal.
the work of the painters from Thessalonica Michael and Eutychios,
under the influence of Italian painting where the same figure is
found also in the mosaics in St Mark’s in Venice (ca. 1220) and
in the Meditations of Pseudo-Bonaventura. It is obvious that the
painters in Boboshevo knew this iconography well, most probably
from the Church of the Virgin Peribleptos in Ohrid, and reproduced
the model as they best could. This model is also reproduced in
other fifteenth-century churches, such as the Church of the Holy
Virgin at Matka.
The identifying inscription is not the traditional one for this
scene. Here instead of the title of the scene, the inscription re-
produces Christ’s Prayer to God His Father, “O my Father, if it be
possible, let this cup pass from me” – the most tragic and moving
moment from this episode in the Gospel. As we shall see, this is
not the only scene from the Gospel cycle in Boboshevo that is ac-
companied by an untraditional inscription.
The Betrayal (Matthew 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-
53; John 18:2-12) ïðýDàíå ãíT¡å. Southern wall. In the centre of the
composition, Judas embraces Christ; some of the Jews are shown
in military garb with pointed helmets and in armour, while oth-
ers are dressed in variegated garments and hold staves, a spear
or a sword, and one holds a horn. The same personages are also
represented in other scenes from the Cycle of the Passion of Christ.
The right section of the composition depicts Apostle Peter who has
felled Malchus to the ground, holds the latter’s ear with his left
hand and swings a big knife with his right.
The Denial of Peter (Matthew 26: 69-75; Mark 14:54, 66-72;
Luke 22:55-62; John 18: 16-18, 25-27), Christ Judged by Annas
and Caiaphas (Matthew 26:58; Mark 14:55-65; John 18: 19-24,
28) and Pilate Washes His Hands (Matthew 27:24). ㍠§â ïå; âåäîøåˆ
õà âü ïðýòîðü. Southern wall. Three Gospel subjects are represented
in one scene: The Denial of Peter, Christ Judged by Annas and Ca-
iaphas, and Pilate Washes His Hands.
On the left, positioned vertically above each other, are four
“sequences” illustrating the three denials of Peter and the Weep-
ing of Peter. The first episode shows Peter talking with a servant,
seated by the fire (first denial, John 18:16-17); the second shows
Peter talking with a second servant (Matthew 26:71); in the third
episode, the servant speaks, standing in a doorframe – according
to A. Grabar, this is the second denial, based on the Gospel ac-
cording to St John (18:18) or on the Gospel according to St Mark
The Washing of the Feet The Agony in the Garden
 70 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

(14:54). At the top, above a nas. To the right of them is

fortress wall, Apostle Peter Pilate, shown in royal attire
rests his head on a column. and with a crown, turned to
These four vertically posi- the right, probably “washing
tioned episodes are divided his hands”, but the right sec-
formally by horizontal walls. tion of the scene is missing.
If we leave aside the min- The inclusion of the theme
iature size and disposition of Pilate in this scene is very
of the “sequences”, which untraditional and has no
create the impression of a explanation, especially con-
“comic strip”, on the whole sidering that on the north-
the iconographic scheme for ern wall there is a separate
the Denial of Peter used here scene devoted to the trial of
is the one known from the Christ before Pilate.
fourteenth-century monu- The figures in the Deni-
ments in Veria, Thessalonica, al of Peter, as those of Christ
Kastoria. In the Church of SS and the soldiers, are much
Theodores in Boboshevo, smaller in size than the large
the three denials of Peter are figures of Annas, Caiaphas
depicted in horizontal order; and Pilate in the centre. The
above them is the Weeping disproportionate scale of the
of Peter. figures is enhanced also by
The central section of the the over-sized table, which
scene illustrates the theme takes up half of the scene
of Christ being judged by and is represented flatly
Annas and Caiaphas. Christ and in reverse perspective,
is with hands tied in front, in front of which the figures
surrounded by figures in of Annas and Caiaphas are
military garb and pointed “suspended”. The back-
helmets, and others in varie- ground of this multi-figural
gated garments – this group and crowded composition
of figures occupies the hori- The Denial of Peter. illustrating three stories si-
zontal register, next to the third denial of Peter. In the centre is multaneously, is filled by a building with a roof of blue and red
Caiaphas, tearing his shirt; the figure next to him is probably An- tiles, on which is perched a red rooster.
The Hanging of Judas Judas Receiving the Thirty Pieces of Silver
 72 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
On the western wall, on either side of the Dormition, are two
scenes devoted to Judas. Judas Receiving the Thirty Pieces of Silver
(Matthew 27:3-5) ïð¸å ·þäà .ë. ñðåáðüíöü·. Western wall (to the right
of the Dormition). Before it was restored, much of the scene was
hidden by the supporting beams and researchers had identified it
as Judas Brings Back the Thirty Pieces of Silver, but now the inscrip-
tion is clearly legible. Judas is shown in red clothes, turned to the
left, arms stretched towards a high table and gathering the pieces
of silver. On either side of the table are two Jews – high priests.
Judas Brings Back the Thirty Pieces of Silver to the Chief Priests,
and The Hanging of Judas (Matthew 27:5) [âüçâðàò¸ ·þä]à ñðåáðüí¸(ê)
[ü·] · ¹ä[à]⸠ñ[å]. Western wall.
The upper section of the composition shows two high priests,
and between them a tall tree with a crown and red fruits, on
which the hanged Judas is suspended above a cave. Even though
the Hanging of Judas is found also in some mediaeval Bulgarian
churches (Ivanovo), the scenes devoted to Judas were established
primarily in the monuments from the Ohrid-Kastoria circle.
The Mocking of Christ (Matthew 27:27-30; Mark 15:16-19;
John 19:2-3) 60
ïîð?ãàí·å” ãíTå. Northern wall, on the right (before
the scene of Pilate’s Judgement). Christ is portrayed frontally in the
centre of the composition, dressed in a purple robe, with a crown
of thorns on his head and a stave-sceptre in one hand, held by a
soldier and with two figures kneeling before him; he is surrounded
by soldiers and Jews – two figures blow long trumpets, while oth-
ers swing swords and staves, and one beats a drum. Following the
Gospel text, the Mocking of Christ should be depicted after the
scene of Christ before Pilate – this change of place is probably due
to the inclusion of the episode with Pilate in the last composition
60
A. Grabar wrongly identifies this scene as the Flagellation of Christ.
Grabar A., Op. cit., 314.
on the southern wall.
Christ before Pilate (Mathew 27:11-26; Mark 15:1-15; Luke
23:1-25; John 18:28-40) ïð¸âåäîøå õà êü ï¸ëàò?. Northern wall.
Christ is shown in a purple robe, surrounded by soldiers, one of
whom leads him by the rope with which his hands are tied. Pilate
is seated on a high throne with a cushion, wearing royal attire and
a large crown. A large red rooster, associated with the episode of
the Denial of Peter, is represented here for the second time. In the
Church of the Holy Virgin at Matka, the western wall also features
two scenes illustrating Pilate’s Judgement: one shows Christ be-
fore Pilate, with Pilate’s wife behind him, thus illustrating Matthew
27:19; the other is Pilate Washes His Hands.
The Road to Calvary (Elkomenos) (Matthew 27:31-32; Mark
15:21; Luke 23:26-32) âîæDåí¸å ãíTå. Northern wall. Christ is shown
walking with hands tied with a rope held by three soldiers; in front
of them is Simon of Cyrene (с·монь кир·неё), carrying the Cross of
Christ. Behind Christ are the two thieves (ðàçáî¸í¸ö¸) (Luke 23:32)
carrying their crosses, naked but for loincloths. The canonical Gos-
pels never mention that the two thieves carried their crosses and
accompanied Christ on the Road to Calvary, but such an episode is
described in the Meditations of Pseudo-Bonaventura. With the ex-
ception of several images (in the Cathedral of St Nicholas in Curtea
de Argeş from 1300-1336, in the Monastery of Decani 1335-
1348, a fifteenth-century icon from Novgorod, and the Chapel of
the Holy Cross at the Wawel Cathedral in Krakow from 1470),
the figures of the two thieves appeared in Orthodox iconography
only during the post-Byzantine period under the influence of Ital-
ian painting, in which they began to be represented as early as the
thirteenth century. The two thieves carrying their crosses are also
depicted in the church in Leskovec.
The Mocking of Christ Christ before Pilate
 74 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
The Road to Calvary
Christ Being Raised on the Cross. âüñõîæDåí·å ãíT¡å íà êðT¡òü; ¶ñ õñ öðü
ñëàB¡ . Northern wall.
The composition is multi-figural and quite unusual – it rep-
resents six figures dressed in different colours holding hammers
and nailing Christ to the Cross; the figure of Christ is represented
in a strange posture. Two figures lie astride the arms of the cross,
each holding Christ by the wrist with one hand and a hammer
in the other. Another two figures stand on ladders on either side
of the Cross, likewise holding Christ by the wrist with one hand
and a hammer in the others. Two other figures are shown kneel-
ing and holding Christ by the ankle. In the Byzantine monuments
The Raising of the Cross
where a similar iconographic scheme is used, the figures are two
or four – I know of no other instance of this scene with six figures
nailing Christ to the Cross. All figures are depicted in very dynamic
postures but in a rather primitive manner – they are flat, dispro-
portionate, shown from strange angles.
The restoration of the church revealed a miniature-sized other,
separate, narrative episode in the upper left corner: Christ is de-
picted in a purple robe, while in front of him is a man wearing a
wide-brimmed hat who holds out a jug to him. This painting is
an illustration of Matthew 27:33-34: “And when they were come
unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,
The Crucifixion
 76 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

they gave him vinegar to drink las in Staničane.62 In Lesnovo

mingled with gall: and when he (1346), this episode is depicted
had tasted therefore, he would in a somewhat different way:
not drink.” This episode is also Christ is shown standing with
described in the Gospel of Nico- one foot on a ladder placed
demus. The text is slightly dif- against the cross, while a man
ferent in the Gospel according holds out a large vessel to him.63
to St Mark (15:22-23): “And In the Church of St Nicholas in
they bring him unto the place Banica (Vevi), in Leskovec and
Golgotha, which is, being inter- in the Dragalevtsi Monastery,
preted, The place of a skull. And next to the cross is depicted
they gave him to drink wine the mingling of vinegar and
mingled with myrrh: but he re- gall, and not Christ refusing to
ceived it not.” Unlike the Gospel drink vinegar mingled with gall.
text, here Christ is portrayed still As we have seen, although this
wearing a purple robe. The epi- episode appears sporadically as
sode Christ Refuses to Drink Vin- a theme in fourteenth-century
egar Mingled with Gall began to monuments, I know of no par-
be illustrated in the fourteenth allel to the scene in Boboshevo
century, as part of the scenes of in terms of composition.
the Road to Calvary, the Nailing
to the Cross, or the Raising of The Crucifixion (Matthew
the Cross. The earliest example I 27:35-38; Mark 15:25-27; Luke
The Raising of the Cross. Detail
know of is in the Church of the 23:33-49; John 19:18). North-
Virgin Peribleptos (1395), where a single large scene illustrates the ern wall. There are missing fragments of the painting in the upper
Road to Calvary and the Nailing to the Cross; in front of the cross and middle segments of the scene. On the arms of the cross is
stands a figure holding out a large bowl to Christ, above whom an inscription reading öðü славе, below them are the sun and the
is inscribed a quote from Matthew 27:34. Different variants of moon, and above them are two angels, which are almost obliter-
this episode are represented at Dečani in the Road to Calvary; at
Markov Monastery; in the Church of the Archangels in Kastoria; in 62
Millet, G. Monuments de l’Athos. I. Les peintures. Paris, 1927, pl. 72;
the Church of the Holy Virgin of Zahum (1361); 61
at the Zemen Millet, G., A. Frolow, La peinture du Moyen âge en Yougoslavie. Belgra-
de, 1930, II, pl. 84; Orlandos A., Kastoria, p. 87; Petkovic V., La peinture
Monastery of St John the Theologian; in the Church of St Nicho- serbe du Moyen âge. Beograd, 1934, I, pl. 135.
63
Габелић, С. Манастир Лесново. Историја и сликарство. Београд
61
Грозданов, Ц. Охридското ѕидно сликарство од ХІV век, 118. 1998, ХV, 30.
The Deposition The Entombment of Christ
 78 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
ated. In the centre is the crucified Christ, his body in an S-curve,
and to the left the three Maries are shown in gestures of grief,
clasping their faces with both hands. To the right is Apostle John
(¶wЃí) and to the left the centurion Longinus, in military dress and
with a nimbus, raises one hand to the cross (Mark 15:39). Below
the cross are depicted the skull and bones of Adam.
The last scene in the lower register on the northern wall is the
Deposition ñüíåò¸å ãíTå (Deposition of the Lord); ð·äàí¸å àããñêîå (Angels
Weeping). (Gospel of Nicodemus; Gregory of Nicomedia; Simeon
Meaphrastes). Entire fragments of the painting are missing. The
body of Christ lies on a draped slab, embraced by the Virgin who
kisses his face while St John the Theologian kisses his hand. Behind
St John, Joseph of Arimathea is shown leaning forward, with a red
nimbus. Behind them are female figures in expressive postures,
the central one with her arms widespread – an iconography that is
found in almost all Ohrid monuments. All female figures are with
nimbuses in different colours. On the right is St Nicodemus, who
cuts out the sepulchre of Christ (John 19:39) – I will examine this
subject in greater detail in the analysis of the next scene. In the
centre rises the cross, inscribed ¶ñ õñ öðü ñëàâå, and two weeping
angels р·данёе агг‚ское. Around the cross is inscribed the acronym
ò ò ò ò.
This scene actually illustrates the Lamentation of Christ (Thre-
nos) and is traditionally designated as such, while the Deposition
illustrates the previous Gospel episode and has a different iconog-
raphy. The Lamentation may also be designated as Weeping, but
here the scene is explicitly identified as “Angels Weeping” and the
identifying inscription is next to the image of the weeping angels.
The Entombment of Christ (Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-
47; Luke 23:50-55; John 19:18-42) ïîëîæå¨í¸¨å âü ãðîáü. Eastern wall
(on the right of the apse). This scene is smaller than the others,
but it features many personages. It shows the Virgin (쁸ð) and two
of the apostles carrying the body of Christ to a carved grave from
which Nicodemus reaches out to take the body; behind a hill are
the three Maries and, in the upper part, two weeping angels (àããëü;
àããëü) – one, dressed in red, covers his face with a blue cloth, while
the other, in blue, covers his face with a red cloth. Although the
depiction of a scene from the Passion Cycle in the altar area is not
an exception, it is not a common practice in Byzantine churches.
In Orthodox art, the episode with Nicodemus is illustrated
in two variants: Nicodemus standing in the grave and taking the
body of Christ, and Nicodemus cutting out the grave with an adze.
In the first variant, which appeared earlier, Nicodemus is shown
standing in the grave with arms stretched out towards the body of
Christ – this variant is first found in a Psalter from the Pantocrator
Monastery (late ninth century) and, later, in Staro Nagoričane64
and in the Church of St Peter in Berende (fourteenth century) in
the scene of the Entombment. The second iconographic variant –
Nicodemus cutting out the grave – is first found in the Church of
the Holy Archangels (fourteenth century) in Kastoria in the scene of
the Lamentation, and in Dečani in the scene of the Entombment. It
is obvious that this additional episode associated with the Entomb-
ment of Christ appeared sporadically in fourteenth-century paint-
ing and did not have a fixed location at that time. In the fifteenth
century, however, it was established as part of the iconography
of the Lamentation scene in a number of monuments connected
with the traditions of the Ohrid-Kastoria region: in the Church of
SS Constantine and Helena (ca. 1400) in Ohrid, the Church of the
Virgin Eleousa at Prespa (1410), the Church of the Ascension in
Leskovec (1461);65 in the Katholikon of the Monastery of the Trans-
figuration (1483) at Meteora (Nicodemus is represented twice in
the scene of the Lamentation – once, standing behind St Joseph of
64
Тодић, Б. Старо Нагоричано, Београд 1993, ill. 90.
65
In the Church of the Ascension in Leskovec, Nicodemus is represented
with a nimbus, standing in the grave and cutting it out with an adze.
The Holy Women at the Sepulchre

The Incredulity of Thomas

 80 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
Arimathea, and then digging the grave), in the Treskavec Monas-
tery (1484), in the Kremikovtsi Monastery of St George (1493), 66
in the Poganovo Monastery of St John the Theologian (1499), in
the Church of St Demetrius in Aiani. In the sixteenth-seventeenth
centuries, it was depicted in the scene of the Lamentation in Kas-
toria (in the churches of St Nicholas tou Magaliou and of Panaghia
Mouzeviki), as well as in some monuments at Mount Athos, in
Bulgaria and in Romania. In the Gospels, it is mentioned only in
John 19:39-42: “And there came also Nicodemus, which at the
first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and
aloes, about an hundred pound weight.” The episode of the cut-
ting out of the grave is not mentioned in the non-canonical Gospel
of Nicodemus either. Although I know of no concrete canonical or
non-canonical text devoted to this episode, it is obvious that its
verbal version must have been quite popular in this period and
probably described it in detail.
In Boboshevo we have what may be a unique example of de-
piction of the episode with Nicodemus in both scenes, the Lamen-
tation and the Entombment, as well as in both iconographic vari-
ants – in the first scene he is shown cutting out the grave, and in
the second, standing in the grave and taking the body of Christ.
The Holy Women at the Sepulchre (Matthew 28:1-7; Mark
16:1-7; Luke 24:1-8) камень гроба гЃспдна (The Stone of the Holy
Sepulchre). Northern wall. The upper and lower sections of the
painting are lost; however, the fragment on the upper part is vis-
ible in an older photograph taken before it was removed during
the first restoration, but its present whereabouts are unknown. The
inscription was on the now missing upper section of the scene. The
painting shows two angels (according to the Gospel of Luke 24:4
and the Gospel of John 20:12) with red wings seated on the stone
66
Вълева, Ц. За един иконографски вариант на сцената Оплакване
от ХV век. In: Ниш и Византиja VІ, Ниш 2008, 263-272.
of the sepulchre, holding a long staff in one hand and pointing
with the other to the empty sepulchre in which are only Christ’s
linen clothes. On the left is the Virgin, her head turned to the sep-
ulchre, holding a myrrh-vessel; behind her is another female figure
and the different-coloured nimbuses of another three figures.
This scene is usually designated as “The Holy Women at the
Sepulchre”. A. Grabar devotes special attention to the untradi-
tional inscription and finds a connection with the Holy Sepulchre
as a pilgrimage site, where the stone on the site of the sepulchre
of Christ is designated in the same way.67 According to him, this
inscription may be important evidence that Bulgarians went on
pilgrimage to the Holy Sepulchre as early as the fifteenth centu-
ry.68 This explanatory inscription accompanying the Holy Women
at the Sepulchre is not traditional for Bulgarian monuments, but
it is not an exception in Byzantine monuments, where the scene is
sometimes designated as П ЛЙИПУ (The Stone). I believe that the
painters in Boboshevo borrowed it directly from some monuments
with Greek inscriptions, and translated it into Bulgarian.
The Incredulity of Thomas (John 20:26-29) »îì¸íî wˆñå‘çà‘í¸å.
Eastern wall (to the right of the apse). The iconography of this
scene is traditional – against a background of buildings with point-
ed roofs, Christ is depicted with a raised arm, revealing the stab
wound in his side, while Apostle Thomas reaches out to him; on
the left are the other apostles. This is the second scene from the
Passion Cycle in the altar area (the other one is the Entombment),
which is not a common practice in Orthodox churches but is nev-
ertheless found in some monuments. Thus for example, the Incre-
dulity of Thomas is represented on the eastern wall, but to the left
67
Grabar, A. Le peinture religieuse en Bulgarie, 316.
68
In the Church of SS Theodores in the village of Dobarsko (1614),
the donor’s inscription underlines the fact that the donor had been on
pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
of the apse, at the Orlitsta Metochion.69 To my mind, the reason
why two scenes from the Passion Cycle were represented in the
altar area in Boboshevo was not conceptual – it was an attempt to
depict an extended iconographic programme in the limited space
of the small church.
***
Generally speaking, the iconographic formulas of the New
Testament scenes used in Boboshevo were established in the four-
teenth century and are found in almost all monuments from the
fifteenth century. On the whole, the iconography of the Cycle of
Great Feasts is traditional, but there are also some purely original
and individual solutions, such as the portrayal of Christ wearing a
red headscarf in the Transfiguration scene or the decorative effect
of the central section of the Dormition of the Virgin. More original
is the Passion Cycle, which features some iconographic elements
that are not unique but are very rare or even new. In some cases,
the approach to them has no parallel and was obviously the prod-
uct of the individual conception of the painters – as, for example,
the interpretation of Christ who refuses to drink vinegar mingled
with gall; the six figures nailing Christ to the Cross; or the very rare-
ly found episode with Nicodemus which, moreover, is represented
twice. Some images which until then were very rare but had al-
ready appeared mainly in painting from the Ohrid and Kastoria
areas – such as the two thieves carrying their crosses (Leskovec)
or the scenes depicting Judas70 which are located precisely on the
western wall – point to the origin of the painters. According to M.
Garidis, the painters in Boboshevo used directly or indirectly some
Italian models,71 and also introduced motifs borrowed from the
69
Grabar, A. Le peinture religieuse en Bulgarie, 309.
70
In the church in the village of Banica (Vevi), the Hanging of Judas is
also represented on the western wall, but to the right of the Dormition,
above SS Constantine and Helena.
71
Garidis, M. Op. cit., 104.
81
Italian primitivists, under the influence of some apocrypha such
as the Meditations of Pseudo-Bonaventura.72 But even if there are
such Italian influences in Boboshevo, they could not have been
direct but must have been borrowed also from earlier Palaeologan
monuments, where they had already been adapted to Orthodox
iconography and included in the iconographic programme for
churches.
The scene in which several Gospel texts are illustrated together
– Christ Judged by Annas and Caiaphas; Pilate Washes His Hands;
and the Denial of Peter – combines in one composition icono-
graphic elements which are otherwise traditional, but for two or
three separate scenes. It best reveals the individual approach of
the painters in their interpretation of the by then established ico-
nography, their theological and aesthetic views, and their taste for
distinctly narrative and multi-figural compositions – this scene can
serve as an emblem of the paintings in the church as a whole.
5. Scenes from the Life of St Demetrius
On the western wall, on either side of the scene of the Dormi-
tion, are two scenes illustrating episodes from the life of St Dem-
etrius: Nestor kills Lyaeus, and the Martyrdom of St Demetrius.73
These are the earliest and among the very few scenes from the life
of St Demetrius in Bulgarian church art.
The earliest extant examples of a vita of St Demetrius in litera-
ture are those by Patriarch Photius,74 by an anonymous Greek au-
thor from the eleventh century (Vat. gr. 821), a Latin translation by
Anastasius Bibliothecarius, and in the Synaxarion of Simeon Meta-
72
Ibid.
73
A. Grabar mentions that four scenes from the life of St Demetrius are
represented in Boboshevo, having probably misidentified the scenes of
the Repentance of Judas. A. Grabar. Le peinture religieuse en Bulgarie,
306-323.
74
PG, t. 104.
 82 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
phrastes.75 Episodes from the life and miracles of St Demetrius are
the subject of many works – services, encomia, vitae, historical and
poetic works, whose authors include many archbishops of Thes-
salonica (John I of Thessalonica, John Skylitzes, John Staurakos,
Nicetas of Thessalonica, Archbishop Plotinus, Eustatius of Thessa-
lonica, Constantine Acropolites, Nicholas Cabasilas, Manuel Philes,
etc.). After the vita by Simeon Metaphrastes, the cycle dedicated
76
to St Demetrius in literature was extended and enriched, but im-
ages illustrating the life of the saint are very rare.
The iconographic cycle illustrating the life of St Demetrius was
formed, according to A. Xyngopoulos, by the scenes in the Ba-
silica of St Demetrius in Thessalonica (seventh century) even in
the pre-Iconoclastic period,77 but the earliest surviving narrative
representations inspired by his life are to be found in the so-called
Theodore Psalter (dated 1066; London; British Library; Add. MS
19352) and appear as illustrations to Psalm 94:1. The miniature
78
depicting the martyrdom of the saint in the Menologion of Em-
peror Basil II Bulgaroctonus (Vat. gr. 1613) dates from the same
period; its iconography is very different from the one that would
be established later. The original reliquaries containing myron and
relics of St Demetrius played a special role in the creation and dis-
semination of the cycles of the life of St Demetrius in art. Several
such reliquaries from the twelfth-thirteenth centuries have been
preserved. Among them the most representative for the cycle of
the life of St Demetrius is a twelfth-century silver reliquary from
the Vatopedi Monastery,79 on which seven scenes are depicted,
75
PG, t. 59, 635-644; PG, t. 116, 1173, 1185, 1204-1324; PG, 117
76
Lemerle, P. Les plus anciens recueils des miracles de S. Démetrius et la
pénétration des slaves dans les Balkans, t. 1, Paris 1979.
77
Охггьрпхлпт, Б. П ейкпнпгсбцйкьт кэклпт фзт жщЮт фпх бгЯпх
ДзмзсЯпх. ИеуублпнЯкзт 1970,
78
Nestor triumphs over Lyaeus; Messengers inform Maximian of the
death of Lyaeus; St Demetrius at prayer before an icon.
79
Lemerle, P. P. Note sur les plus anciennes représentations de Saint
Démetrius, ДЧБЕ, 10, 1981, ДЧБЕ, 10, 1981; Grabar, A. Quelques Re-
liquaires de Sain Démétrius et de martyrium du saint à Salonique. DOP,
including those of Nestor killing Lyaeus and the Martyrdom of St
Demetrius.
However, it was not until the Palaeologan period that the
iconographic cycle dedicated to the miracles and death of St Dem-
etrius became established; this process was stimulated by the exis-
tence of multiple literary sources and especially by the epigram of
Manuel Philes.80 Of special importance in tracing the development
of the iconography of the Life of St Demetrius are the miniatures in
a manuscript Menologion (1322-1324; Bodleian Library, Oxford;
Gr. th. f І; ff 55v-56r) made for Demetrius Palaeologus, Despot of
Thessalonica from about 1322 to 1340. It contains two pages with
miniatures portraying St Demetrius and six scenes from his life:
St Demetrius before the emperor Maximian; St Demetrius blesses
Nestor in prison; Nestor triumphs over Lyaeus; Death of Nestor;
Death of St. Demetrius; Entombment of St Demetrius.
In monumental painting, the earliest surviving cycles dedicat-
ed to the life of St Demetrius are to be found in the Metropolitan
Church of St Demetrius in Mystra, in the Chapel of St Demetrius
in the Dečani Monastery (1335-1348), which features the most
extensive cycle of the life of St Demetrius in Byzantine art – it con-
sists of twelve scenes81 – and in the Church of St Demetrius in Peć
(1338-1346). In addition to biographical cycles of St Demetrius,
scenes dedicated to the death of St Demetrius or of St Nestor are
also depicted in calendar cycles or in another thematic context in
some fourteenth-century monuments, the earliest ones of which
are in the Church of the Holy Apostles in Thessalonica (first quarter
of the fourteenth century)82 and in Gračanica (1318-1321).
5, 1950, 3-5; Grabar, A. Un rouleau liturgique constantinopolitain et ses
peintres DOP 8, 1954, 307-311; Walter, C. Studies in Byzantine Iconog-
raphy. London 1977.
80
Охггьрпхлпт, Б. П ейкпнпгсбцйкьт кэклпт фзт жщЮт фпх бгЯпх
ДзмзсЯпх, 47-54.
81
Паjић, С. Циклус св. Димитриjа, Зидно сликарство манастира Де-
чана. Граћа и студиjе. Београд 1995, 353-360.
82
Охггьрпхлпт, Б. ФпйчпгсбцЯб фпх мбсфхсЯпх фпх бгЯпх ДзмзсЯпх
The Combat between
St Nestor and Lyaeus
 84 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
Generally speaking, despite the great popularity of the literary
sources and of the cult of St Demetrius, the iconographic cycle of
his life is extremely rare in Orthodox art, it is illustrated above all
in churches and chapels dedicated to the saint, and the only more
frequently represented scenes during the mediaeval as well as the
Ottoman period were the Combat between St Nestor and Lyaeus,
and the Martyrdom of St Demetrius. Examining a period spanning
450 years after the victory of the Iconophiles (mid-ninth century),
T. Gouma-Peterson finds only four surviving iconographic Cycles of
St Demetrius’ Life (in Mystra, Dečani, Peć and Prizren) – as com-
pared with 36 of St George and 31 of St Nicholas. 83
The Combat between St Nestor and Lyaeus. несторь. Western wall, to
the left of the scene of the Dormition. The architectural background
consisting of buildings and towers in different colours dominates the
whole composition. To the right is the actual combat between Nestor
and Lyaeus, and below them is the next episode – Lyaeus fallen on his
back onto the sharp points of spears. Lyaeus is in military dress with a
pointed helmet and armour. The left side of the composition depicts
Emperor Maximian in royal attire with a crown; the figure is crudely
painted and disproportionate to the throne – Maximian looks as if sus-
pended in mid-air, and it is not clear whether he is seated on or stand-
ing in front of the throne. According to A. Xyngopoulos, the scene in
Boboshevo reproduces the iconographic model found in a manuscript
in Oxford (Bodleian Library, f. 54v, 55r), the difference being that it
84
is represented in mirror-form.
The episode of the combat between Nestor and Lyaeus from
ейт фпхт БгЯпхт Брпуфьлпхт, ИеуублпнЯкзт, ДЧБЕ, Д, ф. З, 1975-76.
83
Gouma-Peterson, T. Narrative Cycles of Saints’ Lives in Byzantine
Churches from the Tenth to the Mid-Fourteen Century, In: Greek Ortho-
dox Theological Review, v. 30, N 1, 1985, 35.
84
Охггьрпхлпт, Б. П ейкпнпгсбцйкьт кэклпт фзт жщЮт фпх бгЯпх
ДзмзсЯпх, 22-27; Охггьрпхлпт, Б. ФпйчпгсбцЯб фпх мбсфхсЯпх фпх
бгЯпх ДзмзсЯпх ейт фпхт БгЯпхт Брпуфьлпхт, ИеуублпнЯкзт, ДЧБЕ,
Д, ф. З, 1975-76.
the Life of St Demetrius is not found in the earliest hagiographical
sources – in them no connection is made between St Nestor and
St Demetrius. Nestor first appeared in the Vita of the saint in the
Synaxarion of Simeon Metaphrastes, and later became the most
frequent and popular element of the Vita of St Demetrius both in
literature and in iconography.85 The story is the following: After
Emperor Maximian cast St Demetrius into prison, he devoted him-
self to gladiatorial games. The emperor’s favourite was a Vandal
called Lyaeus, “a man of Goliath-like size and strength, similar in
appearance and nature to a beast, with a voice like a roaring lion”.
Maximian built a special arena, like a terrace on pillars, for Lyaeus’s
duels. Underneath this terrace were planted spears with sharp cut-
ting-edges pointing upwards. The emperor’s soldiers would bring
Christians to fight with Lyaeus. When Lyaeus had overcome some-
one in the duel, he would push him from the terrace above onto
the spears. Nestor, an acquaintance of St Demetrius from whom
who he had learned the Christian faith, was horrified by this atroc-
ity and resolved to end it himself. He went to the prison where St
Demetrius was kept, and asked his blessing and prayer to defeat
Lyaeus. St Demetrius blessed Nestor, and told him he would over-
come Lyaeus but die as a martyr for Christ. On the next day, Nestor
went to the arena and declared in public to the emperor that he
wanted to fight Lyaeus. Nestor crossed himself and said: “O God of
Demetrius, help me!” He then lifted Lyaeus “like a bird” and threw
him down onto the spears. Then he exclaimed: “Great is the God
of Demetrius!” Furious, the emperor ordered that St Demetrius be
run through with spears and Nestor beheaded with the sword. St
Nestor is commemorated on 27 October, the day after the feast
day of St Demetrius.
The Passion of St Demetrius (26 October) с‚тҐ дёмётр∙е. West-
ern wall, to the right of the scene of the Dormition. St Demetrius
85
PG t. 116, col. 1171-80, 1193-96.
The Passion of
St Demetrius
 86 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

is portrayed in front of a throne, with raised hand, facing to the example, Andronicus III Palaeologus), or on the reverse standing
right four soldiers three of whom are piercing him with spears; the or on horseback.87 In a 1952 publication, Todor Gerasimov devotes
background depicts a crenellated fortress wall. Here too, as in the special attention to an untraditional image on a copper coin (there
previous scene, it is not clear whether the figure of St Demetrius is are two known specimens: at the British Museum in London and
standing or seated, and the throne is represented from a strange at the Numismatic Cabinet in Berlin), which he dates to the reign
angle. This scene also has a compositional parallel or model in of Emperor Andronicus III Palaeologus. The obverse shows an em-
a miniature in the above-mentioned peror with a low crown and nimbus,
Oxford manuscript – the composi- dressed in a sakkos, holding a sceptre
tion is similar, but again inverted in his right hand and a scroll (?) in his
left-to-right, 86
but the clothing and left; to the right is a model of a forti-
architecture are completely differ- fied town. The reverse shows a scene
ent. In addition to the already men- correctly identified by T. Gerasimov
tioned monuments – Mystra, Dečani, as the Martyrdom of St Demetri-
Peć and Prizren – the Martyrdom of us.88 The saint is represented seated
St Demetrius is also represented in on the right, turned to the left, with
the Chapel of St Demetrius of the head bent forward and raised right
“old” katholikon of the Xenophontos hand. In front of him three figures of
Monastery (fourteenth century) and helmeted soldiers in armour spear
in the Church of the Holy Apostles the saint in the stomach. This icono-
in Thessalonica (1320s). I will now graphic formula is very similar to the
look at one image on a coin from the Oxford miniature and to the scene in
Palaeologan period which shows that Boboshevo. According to T. Gerasi-
the iconographic formula of the Mar- mov, the image on the coin most
tyrdom of St Demetrius had already probably reproduces some famous
been established and was popular in mural or icon from the fourteenth
the first half of the fourteenth cen- century, a practice that was not un-
tury, and that the miniature in the common at the time.
Oxford manuscript is not an isolated case.
During the reign of the Palaeologan dynasty, the image of St
Demetrius became traditional for representations on coins, where
he was depicted on the obverse standing beside the emperor (for
87
St Demetrius was represented on coins even during the reign of Em-
peror Alexius III Comnenus.
88
Герасимов, Т. Неиздадени монети от Палеолозите. БАН, НАМ,
86
Охггьрпхлпт, Б. П ейкпнпгсбцйкьт кэклпт фзт жщЮт фпх бгЯпх Разкопки и проучвания, ІV, София 1952, 28-45. In earlier publications
ДзмзсЯпх. it is assumed that this scene depicts the Adoration of the Magi.
 88 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

6. Saints hands turned palm outwards; their

figures, unlike the other half-length
Medallion Frieze with Saints images, are three-quarter-length. In
Below the New Testament scenes addition to individualization of the
and above the figures of stand- faces, the painters sought to avoid
ing saints is a medallion frieze with repetition of the hand gestures of the
saints. There are seven medallions on saints – similar as they might seem,
each wall: the hand gestures of almost all figures
Southern wall: St Mercurius (24 that are next to each other are not
November) ñòü¶˜ ìåðê?ð·å; St Blaise alike. Noteworthy are the peaked,
(11 February) ñòü· âëàñ·å; St Panta- crenellated crowns of St Azarias, St
leimon (27 July) ñòü· ïàíDåëå¸ìîíü; St Ananias and St Misael – they are a
Julitta (15 July) ñòà ¹ë¸òà; St Cyri- Western-type crown that is not to be
cus (15 July) ñò¥ ê¸ð·êü; St Mark of found in any of the other monuments
Trace (5 April) ñòü· ìàðêî òðà÷üñê¸; used as parallels.
St Onuphrius (12 June) ñòü¶˜ w…í?ôð·å The background of the frieze is in
ï?ñò¥íîæ¸òåëü. two tiers, black and green; as in the
Northern wall: St Theodore Ter- medallion frieze with prophets, here
on (17 February) ñòü·‘ »å¨wDðü ò¸ðîíü; too the medallions and nimbuses of
St Theodore Stratilates (8 February) the saints are in contrasting colours
ñò¥ »åwDðü ñòðàò¸ëàòü; St Procopius (8 July) ñò¥ ïðîêî︑å; St Nestor and their clothes are also in different colours, the effect being one of
(27 October) ñòü· íåñòîðü; St Ananias (17 December) ñò¥ à…íà“í¸“à†; St colour rhythm and variety. I will note the image of St Panteleimon,
Azarias (17 December) ñò¥ àçàð·à; St Misael (17 December) ñò¥ which differs in colour from the rest – here not only the medallion,
ì¸ñà¸ëü. nimbus and clothes are red, but the face and hair are also modelled
in shades of red, the purpose obviously being to accentuate his im-
The repertoire of saints in medallions is traditional in monu- age. It is noteworthy that he is depicted on the northern wall, right
ments from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, but here the above the standing figure of St Nicholas who, too, is with a red
absence of bishop saints is noteworthy (the St Blaise in this frieze nimbus, a face modelled in red hues and a red polystaurion. An ex-
is St Blaise the Shepherd, not the Bishop of Sebastea). The warrior planation for this visual accent placed by the painters on those two
saints are portrayed half-length, frontally, not in military but in images can be sought in their connection with Ohrid – St Nicholas
patrician attire, holding a martyr’s cross in their right hand; even St and St Panteleimon are the main protectors of Ohrid and they are
Mercurius is not represented with the helmet characteristic of him. among the most venerated saints in the region, together with St
The two desert hermit saints are portrayed frontally, with both Clement of Ohrid and St Nahum of Ohrid.
St Nikolas, St Demetrius, St George
 90 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
Figures of Standing Saints
Southern wall
St Nicholas the Prompt Helper (6 Decem-
ber) [ñòü·] í¸¨ê˜îëà’å’ [ñêîð¸] ïîNùí¸êü˜. Next to
the figure of St Athanasius of Alexandria is
St Nicholas. He has a red nimbus and wears
a red polystaurion, holding a closed Gospel
in one hand and blessing with the other. Ac-
cording to G. Subotić, the fact that St Nicho-
las, not St Demetrius, is portrayed next to
the iconostasis – in the place traditionally
occupied by the patron saint of the church –
shows that the saint was especially venerated
by the person who commissioned the deco-
ration of the church. It is possible that the
donor, Hieromonk Neofit, was called Nikola
as a lay priest and, according to custom, took St Demetrius Grand Voivode. Detail
a monastic name beginning with the same letter. 89
In addition to
the “place of honour” occupied by St Nicholas, his image is accen-
tuated by another two elements: his is the only figure in the row of
standing saints which has a red, and not a yellow nimbus like the
other saints; his polystaurion is red, and not white. This accentua-
tion of the figure of St Nicholas may also be related to the specific
significance of his cult as patron saint of Ohrid.
St Nicholas is designated by the rare epithet “Helper” – the
full epithet was probably “Prompt Helper”, but the first part of
the inscription to the left of the saint’s nimbus is lost. Different
variants of this epithet are not rare in hagiographical literature, for
example: “… you appear promptly as a helper and saviour”. Dif-
ferent variants of this epithet are to be found in the hymnography
(in stichera, troparia, etc.) and in the Service for St Nicholas’s feast
day on 6 December. Despite its presence in literature, this epithet
89
Суботиќ, Г. Охридската сликарска школа од ХV век, 137.
is not traditional for images of St Nicholas. We
find it only in the monastery of Decani90 and
again in some fifteenth-century churches in the
Ohrid area, such as those in Leskovec, in the
village of Banica (Vevi) and in the Church of St
Nicholas in Plasnica near Kičevo (1484).91 This
epithet (скори-помощникь) is also used to des-
ignate the saint in a seventeenth/eighteenth-
century fresco from the Boyana Church (Na-
tional Archaeological Museum, Sofia).
St Demetrius Grand Voivode (26 October)
ñòü· 且츔òð·å âå”븓긓 âî˜åâw‰äà. The saint is de-
picted in military garb, in red armour com-
posed of rhomboidal plates with grey ele-
ments over a dark red shirt lavishly decorated
with gems, with a red mantle with white gems,
a shield and a bow on his back; he holds a long spear in his right
hand and arrows in his left. The standing figure of St Demetrius,
designated by the rare epithet “Grand Voivode” (Megas Dux), is
one of the main arguments for classifying the paintings at Bobo-
shevo among the Ohrid monuments, as this epithet appeared ini-
tially only in the monuments from the Ohrid-Kastoria circle in the
fourteenth century.92 The figure of St Demetrius is accompanied
by the epithet мЭгбт дпхо in the churches in the Monastery of
Transfiguration in Meteora (1483), in Velestovo, in Leskovec, in
the Church of St Demetrius (first half of the fifteenth century) in
Kastoria, in the Church of St Andrew tou Roussouli (fifteenth cen-
90
Бабић, Г. Дечанске фреске. Распоред и натписи. In: Зидно сликар-
ство манастира Дечана.
91
Машниќ, М. Прилози за три малку познати споменици во кичев-
ско-бродскиот краj од поствизантискиот период, 105.
92
Охггьрпхлпт, Б. яБгйпт ДзмЮсйпт п МЭгбт Дпэо я Брькбхкпт, Елл-
знйкЬ, 1957, 15, 122-140.
St George, St Nedelya and St Petka
 92 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
tury) in Kastoria, in the Church of SS Theodore Teron and Theodore
Stratilates in Veria. 93
Later, it is found also in some icons: an icon
from Tarnovo of St Demetrius on horseback (1617), an icon from
the Iviron Monastery (sixteenth century), and others. In all above-
mentioned monuments the epithet of St Demetrius is written in
Greek, мЭгбт дпэо. In the Church of St Athanasius (fourteenth cen-
tury) in Kastoria, St Demetrius is designated as брькбхкпт. In the
Chapel of St John the Theologian in the Church of the Holy Virgin
of Mavriotissa near Kastoria, St Artemius is also designated by the
epithet мЭгбт дпэо.
A. Xyngopoulos associates this rare epithet of St Demetrius
with the influence of the Hesychast ideas. According to him, it is
inspired by the text by Patriarch Philoteus of Constantinople, which
describes the dream of St Gregory Palamas with a vision of Christ
King surrounded by nobles, among whom is the grand voivode St
Demetrius. 94
In Boboshevo, however, St Demetrius is represented
on the southern wall, and not as part of the Heavenly Court next
to the Deesis composition, which is on the northern wall. To my 95
mind, the origins of this epithet can be traced back to the hagio-
graphical literature devoted to St Demetrius: the post held by St
Demetrius’ father and, after his death, by St Demetrius himself,
was precisely that of Grand Voivode (мЭгбт дпэо ) of Thessalonica.
The title inscribed next to the saint’s figure, however, ought to be
interpreted as referring not only and less to his earthly life than
to the position he holds in the heavenly hierarchy and his role as
heavenly protector of Thessalonica.
St George (23 April) ñò¥ ãå’w‰ðã·å. Next to St Demetrius is St
George who, however, is not dressed in military garb but in secular,
93
Рбрбжюфпт, И. З ВЭспйб кбй пй нЬпй фзт, БиЮнб, 1994, у.185.
94
This proposition has been repeatedly questioned in scientific literature.
Охггьрпхлпт, Б. яБгйпт ДзмЮсйпт п МЭгбт Дпэо я Брькбхкпт, 127-
128.
95
Грозданов, Ц. Охридското ¤идно сликарство од ХІV век, 108-109.
noble attire – in an orange chlamys and patterned dark red dal-
matic, holding a martyr’s cross in his right hand.
St Nedelya (Kyriake) (7 July) ñòà íå‘äýëÿ. The saint is depicted
in royal attire, wearing a crown over a long veil that falls on her
shoulders. As St George, she, too, holds a cross in one hand, while
the other is turned palm outwards.
St Petka (Paraskeva) (14 October) (ñ)òà ïå‘ò°êà Represented in
a red maphorion and yellow dalmatic, she, too, holds a martyr’s
cross in one hand, while the other is turned palm outwards.
The figures of St George, St Nedelya (Kyriake) and St Petka
(Paraskeva) are smaller in size than those of St Nicholas and St
Demetrius; they are visibly cruder and were probably executed
by another painter. The green background that runs at the level
of the heads of the standing figures is also at a lower level after St
Demetrius.
Northern wall
St Damian (1 November) ñòü· äà‘ì¸àíü and St Cosmas (1 No-
vember) ñòü· êw’çìà. St Damian is portrayed in a red garment and
blue mantle decorated with pearls, while St Cosmas is in a short
red tunic over a blue garment, with a red mantle; they hold cy-
lindrical boxes in their left hand and a scalpel between the two
fingers of their right hand. Both saints are represented with short
chestnut beards; their faces are individualized, with relatively well-
modelled forms.
Between the figures of St Cosmas and St Damian is a prayer
inscription: ïð¸ì¸ (へ) ìîëåí¸å” ðàAA áæ·à ðà¸êå‘òà ãð?áàíîâ¸ê(à ïð)îñò¸
ãî áæ (à)ì¸íü (Accept, O Lord, the prayer of god’s servant Ranketa
Grubanovich, forgive him, O God, Amen). The inscription is coeval
with the wall paintings, as its linguistic and graphic features cor-
respond to the other epigraphic material in the church. Inscribing
prayers for the living or the dead next to the images of different
saints or donors was a common practice. Considering that the in-
St Damian and St Cosmas
94 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

scription in question is next to physician saints, it was probably a

prayer for a sick person.

Royal Deesis. Christ King is portrayed in the centre of the com-

position, with the initials ¶ñ… õñ in red medallions; below and above
them are inscribed two epithets of Christ: öðü“ ñëàâå (King of Glory)
and w‰ ïà“í»îê‘ðà‰»îðü (Pantocrator). Christ is shown in royal vest-
ments – a red dalmatic decorated with gems, a gold loros also
lavishly decorated with gems, and a rounded Byzantine crown;
he is seated on a throne, on two cushions – a blue and a red one,
and his feet also rest on a cushion. In the Church of St Demetrius
in Boboshevo, a similar throne is also depicted behind the Virgin
in the scene of the Annunciation and behind St Demetrius in the
scene of his death. The throne has a tall, rounded back with three
rows of small columns, and there are two rows of turned columns
in its lower part as well. E. Manova devotes attention to the char-
acteristics and shape of this throne, and finds interesting real-life
parallels in some extant bishop’s thrones, such as the one in the
Church of St Clement in Ohrid.96
Christ blesses with one hand, and holds in the other an
open Gospel inscribed with a text from Matthew 25:34: ïð¸(ä)åòå
áëT¡â(í)¸ w˜öà ìîåãî íàñëýä(?¸)òå öðT¡(ò)âà í(áT¡)íîm. The texts inscribed
on the book held by Christ in the scenes of the Royal Deesis from
the fourteenth-seventeenth centuries coincide with those which
are usually inscribed on the book held by Christ Pantocrator.

The Holy Virgin 쁸𠻁v“ ìò¸‘ õâà. She is portrayed as a Queen
to the right of Christ, in royal attire and with a crown made up
of separate segments on which are cross patterns. The crown is
over a veil with rhombs that falls on her shoulders. She wears a
red cloak with rhombs over a blue dalmatic with a gold sash. The

96
Манова, Е. Битът в композицията "Дейсис" от манастирската църк-
ва "Св. Димитър". Археология, София 1962, ІV, 2, 6-11.
Deesis with Christ as King of Kings
 96 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

Virgin is represented in the iconographic type known as Paraklissa of St John Climacos, the iambic verses of St John the Мetropolitian
(Mediatrix), even though the epithet is not inscribed. of Euchaita, kanons and troparia by Philotheos Kokkinos, Patriarch
She is turned toward Christ and holds a scroll inscribed: ïð¸‘츄 ‘ of Constantinople, and the so-called Apocalypse of the Virgin.98 The
ìëåí·å ìòðå ñâ(î)å’ ùå„äðå [÷]òî ïðîñ[¸]ø¸ texts on the scrolls held by the Virgin in Byzantine, Serbian and Bul-
ìò¸ ìPà. ãðýø[í]¸ì(¸) ñïàñåí·å ïðîãíý‘(â) garian art from the fourteenth-fifteenth centuries are similar in con-
à(ø)å ìå. ïðîñò¸ ñí¹ ìî¸ äà ï(ð)¸ì?òü tent, but they appear in different variants no two of which are alike
ò(î)áîþ’ ñïàñå(í)·å (á)ëãîä(àòíîå ñëîâ)[е] – which indicates that the painters used different literary sources.
(Receive the prayer of Your mother, This intercessory prayer of the Virgin appeared in church art after
O Merciful. Mother what do you ask, the twelfth century, but it became especially popular in fourteenth-
to the sinful salvation, they provoked century monuments in Macedonia. In the fourteenth century, the
me. Forgive, my Son, let them receive characteristics of the Holy Virgin Queen of Heaven began to be
salvation, O Graceful Word). The text added to those of the Virgin Paraklissa (Mediatrix). For example,
on her scroll represents a dialogue be- similarly to the figure in Boboshevo, in the Church of St Athanasius
tween the Virgin and Christ in which (1385) in Kastoria the Virgin, without an identifying inscription, is
she prays for the salvation of man- represented as Queen with a scroll inscribed with her intercessory
kind. 97
Although a concrete (direct) prayer. In the Treskavec Monastery, the Virgin is designated by both
original literary source for this text is epithets – Queen and Paraklissa.99 This iconographic type is also
not known, there are different texts found in Lešani, Dolgavec, the churches of St Nicholas tis Monachy
with similar content in Byzantine liter- Eupraxia and of St Nicholas tou Magaleiou in Kastoria. In the Royal
ature, some of which are in the form Deesis scenes in Kremikovsti and in the Church of SS Peter and Paul
of a dialogue between the Virgin and in Tarnovo, the Virgin holds a scroll with a similar text. The Virgin is
Christ and may have inspired those also portrayed with a crown and a scroll in the Royal Deesis com-
eventually introduced into iconog- position in the Church of SS Theodores in Boboshevo, but the wall
raphy. Such texts are the kontakion paintings there are in poor condition and the text on the scroll is
from the Service on the second day of entirely obliterated.
the Nativity of Christ by St Romanos
Melodos, the penitential kanon in the St John the Baptist ñòü¸“ ·w˜¡à‘íü êðT¡üòëü. The saint is shown with a
fifth chapter of The Heavenly Ladder short beard, wearing a yellowish himation over a brown chiton. He
is turned toward Christ and holds a scroll inscribed: ¹ñë¸øàëü åñ¸
97
Djordjević, I. M., Marković M., On
the Dialogue Relationship Between the ìàòðå ñâîå ùåäðå ?ñ(ë)¸ø¸ (ì)åíå êðT¡òåëà ¶w@¡íà. ¸ íå ïðýç(ð)¸ ìîëü(á?)
Virgin and Christ in East Christian Art.
Apropos of the discovery of the figures 98
Ibid.,37-40.
of the Virgin Mediatrix and Christ in the 99
Грозданов, Ц. Христос Цар, Богородица Царица, небесните сили
naos of Lesnovo, Zograf, Beograd 2002, и светите воини во живописот од ХІV и ХV век во Трескавец. - In:
13-48. Студии за охридскиот живопис. Скопие 1990, 146.
Archangel Michael SS Constantine and Helena
 98 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
ì(îþ). (Now that You have heard the prayer of Your mother, O Mer-
ciful, hear me, John the Baptist, too, and do not ignore my prayer).
Images of St John the Baptist holding a scroll with a text that is a
continuation of the dialogue between Christ and the Virgin were
rare in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries (such an image is
found, for example, in the Church of the Holy Prophet Elijah in Dol-
gavec, 1454/5). By the seventeenth century, however, such images
became common – most of the Royal Deesis scenes in Macedonia
from the seventeenth century show St John the Baptist, too, holding
a scroll with an inscription similar to that in Boboshevo (the Church
of St Athanasius in Žurče, 1617; the Monastery of St John the Bap-
tist in Slepče, 1626; the Monastery of the Transfiguration in Zrze,
1624-25; the Monastery of the Holy Virgin in Slivnica, 1644).
The iconographic formula of the Royal Deesis appeared in
the fourteenth century in church art in the Ohrid Diocese, and it
is found in a number of monuments connected with the Ohrid-
Kastoria tradition from the next centuries. 100
The Royal Deesis
compositions from the Ohrid diocese (fourteenth-seventeenth cen-
turies) have been published and analyzed in several studies by C.
Grozdanov,101 therefore here I will not discuss their interpretation
in detail. The Royal Deesis is a scene that was undoubtedly in-
spired by the liturgical texts and acts, but it ought to be viewed not
as an illustration of a concrete moment of the Liturgy but as a gen-
eralized symbolic image. In the Deesis in Boboshevo the emphasis
is on the eschatological aspect of the composition, the Eucharistic
aspect being secondary. This is confirmed by the inscription on the
100
Strzygowski, J. Die Miniaturen des Serbischen Psalters der Koniglichen
Hof- und Staatsbibliothek in Munchen. Wien 1906, f. 58; Лазарев, В.
Ковалевская роспись и проблема южнославянских связей в русской
живописи XIV века. In: Русская средневековая живопись. Статьи и
исследования, Москва 1970, 249-262.
101
Грозданов, Ц. Христос Цар, Богородица Царица, небесните сили и
светите воини во живописот од ХІV и ХV век во Трескавец, 132-149;
Грозданов, Ц. Исус Христос цар над царевима у живопису Охридске
архиепископиjе од ХV до ХVІІ века. In: Зограф 27, Београд 2000,
151-160 and the literature in the Bibliography.
book held by Christ, and especially by his clothes – he is dressed
entirely in royal attire, without any archbishop’s attributes. Con-
versely, the iconographic interpretation of Christ King and High
Priest moved increasingly towards his representation as High Priest
only.102 The two epithets by which Christ is designated, “King of
Glory” and “Pantocrator”, refer only to the royal nature of Christ
and, according to patristic literature, precisely the Pantocrator is
the King of Heaven.103 Christ’s epithet “King of Glory” is a liturgical
epithet originating in Psalm 23:7-9 and it is present in the prayer
of the Cherubim Hymn, which the priest reads in secret. The text of
this prayer is definitely associated also with other representations
of Christ King and High Priest outside the Deesis composition.104
The representation of the Royal Deesis is one of the main proofs
that the iconographic ensemble in Boboshevo belongs to the circle
of Ohrid-Kastoria monuments, especially considering that on the fa-
çade of the church there is also another scene of the Royal Deesis,
which I will examine below. Royal Deesis compositions are also de-
picted in the churches of St George and of the Holy Prophet Elijah in
Vraneštica, which belong to the same group of monuments. Among
the extant monuments on the territory of Bulgaria, the scene at the
Church of St Demetrius in Boboshevo is the earliest one, but it is
obvious that the iconography of the Royal Deesis was transmitted
and established in this region precisely in the fifteenth century. In-
dicatively, we find it also in the Church of SS Theodores in Bobo-
shevo (late fifteenth/early sixteenth century);105 in the Church of St
George in the Kremikovtsi Monastery (1492); in the Iliyantsi Mon-
102
Грозданов, Ц. Христос Цар, Богородица Царица, небесните сили и
светите воини во живописот од ХІV и ХV век во Трескавец, 144-145.
103
According to G. Subotić, the fact that both epithets are inscribed is
due to a mistake by the painter.
104
Лозанова, Р. Една непубликувана икона "Христос Цар на царете
и велик Архиерей", Сборник в памет на Петър Динеков. Традиция,
приемственост, новаторство. София 2001, 459-472.
105
This composition has not been published, it is on the northeastern
pillar in front of the altar; despite its poor condition, the silhouettes are
distinct.
 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO
astery (1550) in Sofia – all three monuments are connected with
the Kastoria-Ohrid circle. 106
Apart from this group of monuments,
representations of the Royal Deesis in Bulgaria have been preserved
in the Church of SS Peter and Paul (late fifteenth/early sixteenth cen-
tury) in Tarnovo, which differ in terms of iconography from the oth-
ers. There is also a Royal Deesis, but from a much later period, in the
Church of St Athanasius in Arbanasi (1726).
Western wall
Archangel Michael (8 November). To the left of the entrance
is Archangel Michael, the designating inscription à’ðõããëü 옸‘õà¸ëü.
is within two red medallions, and between them is inscribed the
epithet âýðí¸“ìü‘. õ¨ðà“í¸òå¨ëü à (б)åñîìü107 ïîáýä¸òåëü (protector of the
righteous – victor over rebellious spirits). Archangel Michael is in
military garb, standing on a red cushion with a raised sword in one
hand and holding in the other a scroll with the following inscrip-
tion: (áæ)¸ ñë?(ãà) åìT¡ü ìü÷îíîñå[ö](ü í)à (â¸ñî)[ò? î](ð)[?æ¸å] (âüç)
[äâ¸çàþ] (ð)?ê(?) [ñ¸] (ïðP)ñò¸ðàþ íå (á)îþù帓 ñå‘ áà ¸ íå ïð¸õîäåù¸
âü öðêîâü ñü ñò(ð@)õî(ì) [¸ ï](ðî)ì(¸ñëîN) áæ[òT¡â](å)í¸N ñêî(ð)[î] ï(î)ñåöàþ
¸ˆõü’ (I am God’s servant, a sword-bearer, I raise the weapon high, I
stretch my hand over those who are not afraid of God and do not
come to church with fear of God and Divine providence and I cut
them down fast).
Semantic parallels to this inscription can be found in some
later representations of Archangel Michael with a scroll, the clos-
est ones being those from the second layer of paintings at the
Gračanica Monastery (1570),108 from the second layer of paintings
106
Part of a Deesis composition – Christ enthroned and St John the
Baptist – has been preserved at the Church of St Nicholas in Vukovo, but
it is impossible to see what the original insignia of Christ were here and,
therefore, whether this, too, is a Royal Deesis.
107
According to H. Andreev, here, too, the voiced consonant has been
replaced by a voiceless consonant, and the word is пåñîìü, not бåñîìü.
108
áæ·¸ âîåâîäà ¬ñüìü, ìü÷åíîñüöü. íü â¸ñîò? wð?æ·å âüçäâ¥çàþ. â°ñå íå
ïð¸õîäåùå âü äwìü áæ·¸ ñü âåðîþ. ïîñýöàþ ¸õ(ü) íåì¸ëîñò¸âíî.; Тодић, Б.
99
in Nerezi (sixteenth century),109 an icon of Archangel Michael with
scenes from his life (National Museum of Ecclesiastical History and
Archaeology, No. 3859, seventeenth century).110
The concrete original source of the inscription under review is
not known, but it is obvious that such texts were disseminated and
were popular in the so-called baze literature. This is confirmed by
several later apocrypha, for example in a miscellany from the mid-
sixteenth century: б‚ж·и есмь воевода, оружье движу на в¥соту, устрашая
враг¥ бож·· стрьхом. нежалост·вое мое оруж·е, извлеку же мечь пламенн¥и,
презирьтеля же скороразсэкаю, а иже прибэгшая во имя мое, пр¥зивая
отца и с¥на и святаго духа немат из¥годат же пояти печьлен благо-
дат же моя и сила да будет здесь, осэнящих именемъ отца и с¥на и
святаго духа.111
The text on Archangel Michael’s scroll is associated with the
apotropaic function of the image itself. Archangels were depicted
next to the entrance of churches as protectors guarding the sacred
space even in the Early Middle Ages; in the twelfth to fourteenth
centuries, several distinct iconographic variants were established.
The Archangels Gabriel and Michael were sometimes represented
as a pair flanking the entrance, in royal attire, holding the insignia
of power – a globe and a sceptre, or as scribes with scrolls. Over
the centuries, it became increasingly common to depict Archangel
Michael only, in military garb as leader of the Host of Angels,
next to the entrance. In the case under review, one of the regalia
of power is also depicted – the red cushion on which Archangel
Michael stands.
Грачаница. Сликарство. Београд/Приштина 1999, 249.
109
азь, архистратигь, сил¶е гzне послань ¶есмь § богь, сь wруж¶емь, симь стрýщи,
храмь сьи. иже вьходеи зде скврьникь моMби нcистии. ср‚цемь мьчемь немилост·во.
110
мечу держу и сто∙а въ храмъ господенъ гледамъ на добр∙те милостиво [...]
люта смьртъ мечемъ погублею невидим[…]
111
Яцимирский, А. И. К истории ложных молитв в южно-славянской
писмености, ІІІ. Молитва архистратигу Михаилу, воеводе небесных
силь. ИОРЯС, ХVІІІ, 3, Спб. 1913, 52-53.
 100 THE CHURCH OF ST DEMETRIUS IN BOBOSHEVO

SS Constantine and Helena (21 May) ñòü· ê‘wñ” ò˜ à‘í¸D í˜ü; ñòà åˆëå¨íà. 7. Wall Paintings on the Western Façade
The two saints are represented to the right of the entrance, both
holding in one hand a tall, jewelled cross flanked by the inscription The façade of the church was painted at the same time as the
¶ñ õñ êðTò¡ ü ãTí¡ ü. After the twelfth century, it became common in the naos, as A. Grabar and G. Subotić also note, but there are surviving
overall iconographic programme of Orthodox churches to depict the fragments of an older layer of paintings. The painting on the far
figures of SS Constantine and Helena next to the entrance (to the left left (northern) side was destroyed, probably during the construc-
or to the right). They are dressed in red dalmatics richly decorated tion of the narthex in the nineteenth century.
with pearls and multi-coloured gems. The crown of St Constantine
is rounded, Byzantine, while that of St Helena is similar to the one
of the Virgin as Queen and it is over a pat-
terned veil that falls over her shoulders; St
Helena has large earrings, and her loros is
draped over the arm with which she points
at the cross. Between the two figures, in the
lower part, is an image whose meaning is
not entirely clear and which, to my knowl-
edge, has no parallel – it looks like a pyra-
mid with a hole at the top, similar in form
to a spring or a well. This detail was prob-
ably created by analogy with the images of
decorative crosses, below which is depicted
a stepped base symbolizing Calvary.

The images of St Nicholas, St Dem-

etrius, Archangel Michael, SS Constantine
and Helena, SS Cosmas and Damian, and
the Royal Deesis are the work of the most
experienced painter, who also painted the
Holy Virgin in the apse. They are distin-
guished by relatively proportional figures,
detailed and individualized facial features,
and garments in contrasting colours with
many details and ornaments. St Demetrius. The Last Judgement. Detail.