The 140th anniversary of the Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos in Višegrad was marked with an exhibition of photographs of old Višegrad and the church, as well as a ceremonial academy celebrating the shrine that has served as a spiritual pillar for the local community for decades.
The exhibition, titled “Višegrad – Traces of Time,” opened at the City Gallery as part of the anniversary program, featuring photographs of old Višegrad and the church from different historical periods.
The exhibition was opened by Archpriest-Stavrophor Aleksandar Topalović, head priest of the Church of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, while Nemanja Perendija and Divna Vasić curated the exhibition.
Perendija said the exhibition covers the periods of Austro-Hungarian rule, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, and the communist era, highlighting photographs taken several years before and after 1880 that document the transition from Ottoman to Austro-Hungarian rule.
According to Perendija, most of the photographs were collected from publicly available online sources, while a smaller number came from private collections belonging to residents of Višegrad and people originally from the area.
Speaking at the ceremonial academy, Topalović said the founders of the church had built their faith, love, and sacrifice into its foundations, adding that the anniversary celebrates not only the passage of time but also the faith that endured through different periods and trials.
“This church is a witness to the history of Višegrad. Beneath its arches, the prayers of our ancestors were raised, while its bells gathered the people and reminded them that man was not created for the temporary, but for the eternal,” Topalović said.
Višegrad Mayor Mladen Đurević said the church had remained a witness to the community’s endurance and a spiritual pillar for the people of Višegrad throughout its history.
“Our obligation is to preserve and restore the holy sites we inherited and leave them to our descendants,” Đurević said, adding that the local administration would continue supporting efforts to preserve the spiritual and cultural identity of the people.
Metropolitan Hrizostom of Dabar-Bosnia presented Đurević with the Golden Order of the Metropolitanate of Dabar-Bosnia on the occasion of the anniversary.
The ceremonial academy also featured the documentary “140 Years of Light” by Mirko Đukanović, a musical and poetry performance by Professor Boško Milovanović, and a recital titled “The Mother of God” performed by students of the Ivo Andrić Secondary School.
The program also included the play “Divine Providence,” performed by members of the Herceg Novi Theatre, as well as a performance by members of Višegrad’s Soko HED Cultural and Artistic Society.
Source: RTRS
