The Church of St Athanasius ( bg, Църква Свети Атанасий) is a late

Medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a building for Christian religious activities * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian communal worship * Chris ...

in the town of

Boboshevo Boboshevo ( bg, Бобошево ) is a town in Western Bulgaria. It is located in Kyustendil Province and is close to the towns of Kocherinovo and Rila. The town of Boboshevo is situated around to the south of Sofia and from Bulgaria's prime ...

Kyustendil Province Kyustendil Province ( bg, Област Кюстендил, trl ''Oblast Kyustendil'') is a province in southwestern Bulgaria, extending over an area of (constituting 2.7% of the total territory of the Republic of Bulgaria), and with a populati ...

Location, history, architectural and artistic values

The church is situated on a large platform in the cemetery in the small town of Boboshevo. It is a small one nave church with a semi-round apse. It is 8 m long and 5 m wide. There are two niches on the left and the right walls and another small semi-round niche on the northern niche. The church used to have a vault which was replaced with eaves during the reconstruction. A covered narthex was added in the 18th century and in 1926-1927 a new narthex with refectory was constructed. The walls of the church are 0,70 m thick and are made of stone. The church was fully painted from the inside and the western facade was painted from the outside as well according to the canon. According to the hardly readable ''

ktitor ''Ktetor'' ( el, κτήτωρ) or ''ktitor'' (; ka, ქტიტორი ''kt’it’ori''; ro, ctitor), meaning "founder", is a title given in the Middle Ages to the provider of funds for construction or reconstruction of an Eastern Orthodox ch ...

'' inscriptions on the southern wall the church was constructed in 1590 or 1600. Up to 29 October 1862 it used to be the main church of the town. After the construction of the larger Church of St Bogoroditsa, St Athanasius was converted into a cemetery church. The church is an architectural monument of culture of local significance (DV is.77/1972) and an architectural-artistic monument of national importance (DV is.38/1972). The church was named after

Athanasius of Alexandria Athanasius I of Alexandria, ; cop, ⲡⲓⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ ⲁⲑⲁⲛⲁⲥⲓⲟⲩ ⲡⲓⲁⲡⲟⲥⲧⲟⲗⲓⲕⲟⲥ or Ⲡⲁⲡⲁ ⲁⲑⲁⲛⲁⲥⲓⲟⲩ ⲁ̅; (c. 296–298 – 2 May 373), also called Athanasius the Great, ...

also known as Saint Athanasius I the Great

Patriarch of Alexandria The Patriarch of Alexandria is the archbishop of Alexandria, Egypt. Historically, this office has included the designation "pope" (etymologically "Father", like "Abbot"). The Alexandrian episcopate was revered as one of the three major episco ...

. The church honours the saint on 18 January and 2 May.

Literature

* Кепов, Иван - Миналото и сегашно на Бобошево. С., 1935, с. 191; * Василиев, Асен - Проучвания на изобразителните изкуства из някои селища по долината на Струма. - Известия на Института за изобразителни изкуства, VII, 1964 г., с.157 и сл.; * Марди, В. - Бабикова - Научно мотивирано предложение за обявяване на църквата "Св.Атанас" в с.Бобошево, Кюстендилско за паметник на културата. С., 1969, 23 с.; * Дремсизова-Нелчинова, Цв., Л. Слокоска. Археологически паметници от Кюстендилски окръг. С., 1978, с. 13; * Енциклопедичен речник Кюстендил А-Я. С., 1988, с. 587. * Матуски, В. Иконографската програма на храма „Св. Атанасий Александрйски" в гр. Бобошево и някои особености в иконографията му. - В: Любен Прашков - реставратор и изкуствовед. Материали от научна конференция посветена на 70 год. на проф. Л. Прашков, 14-15 дек. 2001, ВТУ. С. 2006, с. 291-300; * Матуски, В. За три храма по долината на река Струма. - В: Проф. д.и.н. Станчо Ваклинов и средновековната българска култура, Велико Търново, 2005, с. 452-458; * Матуски, В. Стенописни надписи от бобошевския храм „Св. Атанасий Александрийски" в контекста на неговата иконография. — В: Културните текстове на миналото, носители, символи и идеи. Т. IV. С., 2005, с. 60-63; * Ангелов, Светозар - Църквата "Св.Атанасий" в Бобошево - проучвания и проблеми. - Известия на Историческия музей - Кюстендил, XIV, 2007, с. 123-140; * Ангелов, Светозар - Църквата "Св.Атанасий" в Бобошево, В : Църкви и манастири от Югозападна България през XV- XVII в., София, ЦСВП "Проф.Иван Дуйчев" към СУ"Св.Климент Охридски", 2007 г., с.38-40; * Заедно по свещените места на планината Осогово. Пътеводител. С., 2008, с. 108.

Gallery

File:Sv.Atanasiy.Boboshevo.3.JPG File:Sv.Atanasiy.Boboshevo.4.JPG File:Sv.Atanasiy.Boboshevo.5.JPG File:Sv.Atanasiy.Boboshevo.6.JPG

External links

{{Commons category, Church of Saint Athanasius, Boboshevo
Паметници на културата в Община Бобошево

Църквата "Свети Атанасий" - фотоалбум № 1

Църквата "Свети Атанасий" - фотоалбум № 2

Bulgarian Orthodox churches in Boboshevo Medieval Bulgarian Orthodox church buildings