NARRATIVE OF CULTURAL HERITAGE: THEORY AND PRACTICE CHURCH OF ST. NIKOLA IN PRISTINA Jelena Pavličić University of Belgrade, Serbia

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1 Narrative of Cultural Heritage :7( ) NARRATIVE OF CULTURAL HERITAGE: THEORY AND PRACTICE CHURCH OF ST. NIKOLA IN PRISTINA Jelena Pavličić University of Belgrade, Serbia Abstract: Depending on the context in which the subject of past achieves a particular communication, is interpreted and used, the value of this subject is changed. The object polysemy is causing this so we are always challenged to rethink the phenomenon of heritage. At that point we are in the domain of explanation, and that mean in story, narrative. But what kind of story? If we know that images of past are product of selective forgetting and active process of remembering, and are part of narrative time concept through whom we read and examine heritage object, than the story that we make about that object is not strictly linear, it breaks rigid chronology, and creates a plot that combines elements of temporal experience. The case study of this theory and focus of this paper is 19 th century church of St. Nikola in Pristina. We are following the life and meaning of this object in the old city center through the period of existence and ideas that enriched it. The aim is to recognize and discuss place of the church in the cultural memory of town, and opposite Keywords: continuity, time concept, remembering, images of past, narrative, structure of cultural heritage, communication, church of St. Nikola in Pristina, cultural memory of town In the 20th century when electronic tools revolutionary change memory and remembering by the new transfer of information, way of remembering is not the only being changed, but also the perception of time. Thus, the past becomes something that requires a rediscovery and new ways of preserving and use in the present. The problem that we face is how inherited and preserved values from the last time to transfer in the future. Although comprehensive contained in one cultural object, the values change, depending on the context in which object communicates, is interpreted and used. Therefore, the key is in their clear recognition, understanding and explanation, which causes further treatment of heritage and preservation. So the quality of cultural object (which makes it so different from other works of material culture) not only recognizes the materiality and age but rather those mental constructions which tend society in facing the very subject. Therefore the problem is relocated in the field of understanding and explanation of objects of the past, and then we are in the domain of narrative - or the story. 121

2 Култура / Culture, 8 /2014 A story, we would tell at first, has a linear flow, as at first is a time experience, too. It has a beginning and an end, the past is clearly distinguishable from the present and the future. Also, as the category of "understanding" the past is in the level of remembering past contents, then remembered images of the past are also perceived through the linear continuum. However, images of the past are not "chunks" of unique "history" extracted as needed and always the same, but on the contrary they are the result of selective memory and always an active process of remembering. In this mechanism of constructing the past events may be the essence of modern narration. That kind of story about the object breaks rigid chronology and creates a plot that combines elements of temporal experience. Or, speaking of events or things of the past, we use the present experience and knowledge, again, we remember the things that were already part of the process of remembering and choose the content we want to save from oblivion. Paul Ricoeur drew attention to the importance of distinguishing the current remembering of the past, then the present seeing of the current and finally the current expectations of the future. The distinction between these three dimensions is based on their unity (Kuljić, 2006: 8). It exists in time - as the three aspects of the present (which, in turn, is always punctuel (current)) - in which we remember, perceive and expect, and in the space of mind (of the narrator) and narration. Ricoeur looks at examining the paradoxes of time at St. Augustine and develops his subjectivist conception to the structural organization of the story and Aristotle s theory of dramatic plot. The thesis is circular in nature, and the main priority of the theory of the story is to become non chronological. "The plot of a story gathers and consolidates a number of separate events into one complete and finished story and thus schematizes intelligible meaning which is related to the story as a whole." The human mind needs rounded story, without which objects and the human experience are isolated cases. So the plot is deliberately tool by which we shape our messy, shapeless and somewhat inarticulate time experience The narrative involves mimetic activity because products something very specific or, very specific, products scheduled events by building plot. In the story, the author establishes a similarity in the way that the previously distant objects and experiences are approaching one another - they associate (Riker, 1993: 6-20). I. THERE WAS THE ENTIRE LIFE BEHIND THINGS In this paper, we wonder how to structurally organize the story of an object of the past and how to build a plot that makes harmonious diffused time experience, or the actors, events, policies with which the subject is identified today. Specifically, we're talking about the Church of St. Nicholas in Pristina (e.g. Fig. 1). It was built in 1830 on the foundations of an older church (Nušić, 1903: 12). About the older church not much is known because of archaeological research that has never been done. Monastery with the same inscription was mentioned in the Turkish census of the 1544th years and from the time of Selim II ( ), which raising the possibility that the present church renewed this sacred space (Zirojević, 1984: 170). 1 The first significant changes new church experienced in the early 20 cen- 122

3 Narrative of Cultural Heritage tury, and then at the end of the century, when its role as an active religious center is shaken. In 1911 the bell tower is added to the church and in 1990 the dome. In 1992 the conservation work of the church started, especially in the iconostasis of family Frchkovski from Debar. During this work wall paintings was discovered (Vranići, 1993: ). In 1999, after the arrival of KFOR in Kosovo and Metohija, the church was damaged by a bomb while in riots 2004th it was on fire. A significant portion of its construction corps was burned then, the entire archive, icons, and valuable iconostasis Debar masters of the 19th century, also. 2 How the iconostasis doesn t exist anymore, and it was the reason why the church was nominated as cultural heritage, the question is are there other values, and is it cultural heritage now without material existence of wood iconostasis? Figure 1. Church of St. Nicolas in Pristina from the north, Judging by the rare studies and published papers on the subject, it would seem that this modest church from the 19th century doesn t give much to be said. 3 However, it is interesting to talk about this church in the terms of Old Serbia, 19th century church and the city of Pristina. Their models of functioning the church keeps itself. Orthodox faith and the Church as an institution had a prominent place in the state and the society of the nineteenth century. Attitude of the state toward the church reflected on the church building, in fact on all the things to which the Church in its doctrinal and liturgical practice was attached upon: iconography and equipment of churches, decorating, maintenance, and the raising of temples. The adoption of legislation creates that the State controls the visual identity of the city. By edict from 1830 Serbia gets the freedom of confession of faith and church art reaches expansion. Tanzimat reforms have enabled the development above all church architecture, which until then had been reduced to objects for which they did not dare to stand explicit religious symbols. Smaller and inconspicuous churches are changing or there are build new which trough its architecture clearly take place in the visual identity of place. In a small span of time since the introduction of reforms, in the Balkans was built a large number of Christian churches. At the same time in the unrelieved south, there are still small, inconspicuous churches of basilica type. Church of St. Nicholas has found its place in the city, but not as monumental temple but a modest one, without dome and tower (Fig. 2.), so as not to compete with the high minaret of a nearby Imperial mosque. "The church from the outside looks like an ordinary house, built in the ground so that it comes down to four degrees." It is similar to Odzaklija church in Leskovac. St. Nicholas church is located in the old part of town, the side of the road to Germia, the famous picnic place of Pristina, and the elevated site of the former Varos mahala, where only Serbs lived in 19 th century (Nušić, 1903:12). By the time of con- 123

4 Култура / Culture, 8 /2014 struction, approximately in 1830 the Serb population didn t have a church, but over the ruins of the old church, over the altar was raised roof (part), that position is designated as a place of worship and over them lit candles. About the presence of an older church, specifically its "traces", also testify memory of Pristina residents recorded in writings of Branislav Nusic. 4 He writes about the ornate stone in the churchyard of the new church, which is supposed to be part of the previous building, which was thought to have been higher and that it was somewhere in the bazaar. Presence of other Orthodox churches in Pristina is mentioned in medieval literature, but it does not know about them much. 5 Nevertheless, their presence in the city is often mentioned when is talking about the construction of St. Nicholas, which emphasizes the continuity of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the centuries of the presence of the Serbian people in the area. Figure 2. Church of St. Nicolas, postcard from the first half of XX century Certain Hadzi-Jovan got permission from Yasar Pasha to care and built a church (Nušić, 1903: 12). According to another story, Kir Janicije was the one who asked for permission to build a church, but nonetheless feared that it will be crushed / destroyed, so it was built at night and buried a bit into ground, with look of an ordinary family house. There is also remembered myth of the two monks from Novi Pazar who came to collect donation for the construction of the church, but were notorious for Pasha as spies, and were killed. The story tells that this position is indicated unusual light, Pasha repented, and built a mosque there, and to the Serbs allowed the construction of a church on the site where the already lit candles. These myths - fictional story in which it was believed, and that the time seemed identity spot of town and of the believers, existed later, too. Instead of clappers in 1911 the church gets the tower. This event also tied a myth, as a testimony of actually happening and ingenuity of the Serbian population in relation to exercise religious rights. The bell, which was secretly hanged on wooden scaffolding was supposed to ring when the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed V Rešat arrived in Pristina on 15 June in 1911 year. Serbs, and among them prominent Tanasije Taca Vasic and priest Josif Spasic, organized this action. When the bell rang, the church has entered 12 zaptija (Ottoman guard) to prevent this. Ingenious Serbian believers are told that they are welcoming the arrival of the Sultan. Thus, the bell remained (Todić Vulićević, 1999: 86-87). Similar stories are linked to other churches in Old Serbia. One of them is the one related to Odzaklija church in Leskovac, which resembles Pristina church, although much smaller dimensions. Church was the three boat basilica, whose central arched boat and the side of the flat ceiling. It was built also upon in 1830 years and has a porch on the west 124

5 Narrative of Cultural Heritage and south. According to the story, although with the threat of the Turks, people of Leskovac have dared to build a temple, but also to lay the foundation of the fireplace and chimney. When asked by the Turks what is it, the answer is - the house for the priest to whom should come all the believers so the house should be big. Regardless of the size of the house, the Turks believed in the story, as though the chimney does not go on the church building. It has remained the name of the church - Odzaklija as a witness of ingenuity Serbs. Prohibitions, which are, as by rule, broken, brokered by a number of creative solutions. They reflected power of faith, spirit and bravery of the people. These stories about the construction of the church may have a real basis in historical fact, but it is not necessary, and probably not verifiable. They are tied with the myth, surviving in the memory and gladly being retold. On the one hand they reflects the context - the social situation in Kosovo where is difficult to get a permit and build a church so, dangerous to consume faith. On the other side in them is loaded insistence on the existence of an earlier church and their remains of which now needs to build a new one. This reference to the continuity is important for obtaining permits for construction of the church by the Turkish authorities. Also, the need and desire for confirmation of age and national traditions is expressed in the most common interpretation that the remains of the old church ruins are from the golden age of the Serbian nation and Nemanjic time (Makuljević, 2006: 65). Mythological awareness of age of Nemanjic, seen as the golden age and the ideal of church and political programs, created historical grounds that a new church should be seen as a restoration of the old (Makuljević, 2006: 10). Aforementioned Monastery of St. Nicholas is just a reminder of that. This idea is reflected in the program of the second zone of the wall paintings of the church from the early 20th century. Images of Serbian saints and respected rulers in the south wall of the church in Pristina come to alive medieval history in order to preserve the Orthodox faith and traditions. They play an important role in the defense against islamization, and looking for historical support for the existence of the church in this area. The same idea can justify the images of architecture on the side walls of the church, in the second zone. In these images are recognized models of temples (which we recognize from 18th century prints transferred here in schematized form) and the most recognizable is Decani monastery on the south wall (Fig. 3.). 6 It found its place here as a medieval shrine that is in this area played the role of spiritual and political headquarters. Also there are presented model of the Pec Patriarchate, which can be discerned in the north, mating wall. It is interesting, although it can not be attributed to the painter's idea, that the character of Serbian ruler placed below the figure of Decani on the south wall. In the churchyard of St. Nicholas are two more buildings, Serbian elementary school and two year high school (Nušić, 1903: 12). This defines church as an educational center and a meeting place and points to its active role in the religious, and the ordinary life of the citizens. The impact (and responsibility) of the church in addressing school issues in the area of Old Serbia was big. Until the opening of the Serbian consulate in Pristina in 1889 when jurisdiction takes Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia, about Serbian education teacher hiring cared church school district and Metropolitan in Prizren. Thus, for example, some teachers were fired for simply disliking Metropolitan Nicifor. Then, of course, followed the appeal and "protests" (Nedeljković, 2003). 125

6 Култура / Culture, 8 /2014 Metropolitan building is also located in the courtyard of the church. Here stayed Metropolitan of Raska-Prizren Eparchy when was of the tour through the eparchy. One of the rooms of this building was the Metropolitan, in the second, large, were held municipal meetings, while in third worked School Board, and served as a teacher's office (Nušić, 1903: 12). For many years it was the only Serbian schools, and in the last decades of the twentieth century, this building was the Institute for the Serbian Language and Culture of Kosovo and Metohija. 7 Metropolitan building was built by the citizens in 1869, with care of Kosta Filipovic, merchant, as evidenced by an inscription above the door (Nušić, 1903: 12). Figure 3. Model of the Decani monastery, wall painting Patronage system we have, also, when it comes to wall icons of church ordered by prominent citizens of Pristina and guild associations. Religious renewal after 1830 was characterized by a significant role of the parish community in the creation of religious life. The decisions to construct and paint the temples bring parishioners (Makuljević, 2005: 15). Throughout the 19th century, especially in Old Serbia, community participation in the religious sphere plays an important role. It is expressed by the patronage and act of giving. Economically wealthy individuals and groups, especially the guilds, contribute those funds to equip the church or the icon itself, thus securing an eternal memorial for the salvation of souls (Lazić, 2006: ). Devotion is the first motive of the individual patrons, but this act is clearly demonstrated their power and position in the social life of the city. "Parcels" of painted walls of the church, where were presented certain saints in the church of Sv. Nicholas in Pristina, were ordered from these people. It was painted by Abraham Dicov in , by invitation and recommendation of Metropolitan Nicifor, who invited him to work wherever found work in the eparchy (Constantinople Gazette, 1903). 8 After the Pristina Avram Dicov went to Kosovska Kamenica where in painted local c. Sv. Nicholas (Ženarju, 2012: ). It is still in the yard, and much more than the aforementioned, the old Orthodox cemetery. It is situated on a hillside northeast of the church, and is bordered by the boundary wall of unbaked bricks. Burial was performed on the cemetery until the 1920s. year. By there were preserved 73 gravestones. The largest number of them is made up of crosses of various shapes and sizes, some embedded boards and two sarcophagi. Many of graves, especially the sacrum, had rich ornamentation in the form of geometric, astral, plant and anthropomorphic motifs

7 Narrative of Cultural Heritage In the church of St. Nicholas in Pristina there was a rich treasury, till 2004th when it was burned. It consisted of 19th century books and sacred vessels that dated to the time of 18th to the beginning of 20th century. In the fund of 90 books, there are mostly those printed in Russia, which were brought to Serbia by priests, monks and Russian merchants. Among the liturgical books were those printed in the printing Kiev Pechersk Lavra, Moscow, Belgrade, Sarajevo and Sremski Karlovci, Vienna, Venice, Istanbul, Sofia, St. Petersburg and Greece (Vranići, 1997: ). This shows strong cultural and spiritual ties between Serbian Orthodox Church and the church community. The only book that is written by hand is the "Canon of prayer to Venerable Father Joanikije of Devic" made on 30th of May in at the monastery of Devic in Kosovo. From the same period has been preserved a written record, "kontika" of, at that time Bishop, Ignatije. It was written on 1 st of June in and was written in Serbian. Also, it was found in the church grave and its contents mostly transferred by Branislav Nušić "Kontika required to keep the Orthodox faith; Sunday is devoted to God, and the church should be visit at time and shops to be closed on that day. Except Sunday kontika provides that still need to celebrate the saints and the stores to be closed on this days, and among others saints its mention "St. Joanikije of Devic" (Nušić, 1902: 110). The cult of the hermit was drafted in the 15th century (Popović, 2012: ), and on the strength of its practice in this area, especially in Pristina testify the western part of the south wall of the church in Pristina. The icon is very damaged, but the next to the saint with a white veil is seen inscription &annjk(ie). The church seems to be, of great significance not only in religious, but overall, the social life of the citizens of Pristina. Part of the rule itself she imposed or proposed, but most of the other rules she respected. In fact, the rules and prohibitions defined her appearance. In addition to prohibiting the construction of the tower is a significant the one related to the construction of the dome, too. Church for many years looked like a normal house gabled roof, until when the dome was added on the proposal of the Serbian Orthodox Church. It is interesting that during construction all the time was impression that it s about the reconstruction of the church and the cupola. Polemical tone is absent as the search for the historical foundations of thesis. This is probably because it is not recognized testimony potential of the original appearance of the church, only the iconostasis of Debar master which was declared as cultural heritage in By rising the dome the completely central part of the arch and wall paintings was destroyed and authentic appearance is compromised. This act, though polemic on one hand, is clear evidence of cultural awareness and practices in Serbia of last century, and the need to emphasize traditional Christian symbols - the dome, in the middle of a majority Islamic population, where this is the only Orthodox church. Raising the dome interacts with the visual identity of Pristina and foremost oriental face of the old bazaar where the church is located. The act of construction also means victory against prior restraint of time of unliberated Serbia. Stories of freedoms and restrictions of expression of faith, rebellion and clever solutions in Pristina, it seems to follow the life of this place, or better yet revive it. Thus the southern side of the church exist decoration that was not originally belonged to this area, as evidenced by the style in which it was performed and discussing two seven-pointed candlesticks - menorah. Most likely, this decoration was portal of Pristina synagogue that was de- 127

8 Култура / Culture, 8 /2014 stroyed during World War II. According to the current priest Steva Mitric church at that time served as both religion temple. 10 By telling the story of the church and the story about the church in this paper, we touched on the identity of some places where the church is based and what s its heritage. Some issues are touched and new approaches, through which Pristina church was overvalued and repositioned, especially in the cultural memory of the city. It is important to say that the narrator is the one who selects a topic and way of explaining the order of events. So the narrative in this way is not without some perspective, and does not claim to total objectivity and clash with the truth. Context of the author are part of the narrative, too, and not only one of her appearance, but the further life of the consumer (reader, listener, viewer) - whose vision and understanding of the story is later formed. Broadly speaking every reading is new rewriting. The reader in poststructuralist theory creates authors and the issue of discussion, in our case the subject of the past, and of this dependent the preservation of the object and the continuity of the story. Story is, therefore, a different name for dialogue. ENDNOTES [1] Based on data from the Turkish defters (Vucitrn defter No. 234 and No. 124): Olga Zirojević, Crkve i manastiri na području Pećke patrijaršije do1683. godine (Churches and monasteries in area of the Pec Patriarchate till 1683.), Beograd, , and later upon it: Milan Ivanović, Zadužbine Kosova (Legacy of Kosovo), Priština - Beograd, 1987, 513. and Biljana Vranići, Crkva Sv. Nikole u Prištini, (Church of St. Nicolas in Pristina) Glasnik društva konzervatora Srbije 17, Beograd, 1993, 138. [2] Martovski pogrom na Kosovu i Metohiji: mart Godine, s kratkim pregledom uništenog i ugroženog hrišćanskog kulturnog nasleđa, (March pogrom in Kosovo: th of Mart 2004, with a brief overview of destroyed and threatened Christian heritage) Beograd, [3] There are just a few published articles dealing with this church: Biljana Vranići, Crkva Sv. Nikole u Prištini, (Church of St. Nicolas in Pristina) Glasnik društva konzervatora Srbije 17, Beograd, 1993, ; Biljana Vranići, Crkva Sv. Nikole u Prištini i liturgijske knjige (Church of St. Nicolas in Pristina and liturgical books) in: Baština No. 8, Priština, 1997, [4] Stariji putnici su zaticali još trag te crkve, a i stariji ljudi pamte njene tragove ( Elderly passengers were still finding the tracks of the church, and the older people remember her tracks ) in: Branislav Đ. Nušić, Kosovo: opis zemlje i naroda, II sveska, (Kosovo: A description of the land and people, II book), 13. [5] The single, somewhat larger, published text devoted to St.- Nicholas, in the Gazette of DKS 17, the author Biljana Vranići introduces us to the older churches in Pristina, but a more detailed description of the same or naming them or the file in which they are not mentioned. Thoroughly discussion of the older churches in Pristina could be found in: Branislav Todić, Mitropolija u Prištini prva grobna crkva kneza Lazara (Metropolis in Pristina - the first burial church Lazar)in: Sveti knez Lazar: Spomenica o šestoj stogodišnjici Kosovskog boja , [6] Characteristics of monastery recognized from the graphics of Stojanovic George and Adolf G. Miller from 1746 year. Graf. No. 198 and No. 199 in: Dinko Davidov, Srpska grafika 18. Veka (Serbian graphics of 18th century) Novi Sad, [7] Milan Ivanovic, A suffering of Serbian religious monuments in Kosovo and Metohija, , unpublished manuscript. [8] Carigradski glasnik br. 2 (Constantinople Gazette No. 2) for friday 10th of January, Constantinopol, 1903, 3. [9] Obnova kulturne baštine na Kosovu i Metohiji (Restoration of cultural heritage in Kosovo and Metohija ), [10] The interview was conducted on 9th of December REFERENCES [1] Davidov, Dinko, Srpska grafika 18. veka (Serbian graphics of 18th century), Novi Sad, [2] Lazić, M, Ktitori i priložnici u srpskoj kulturi 19. i početkom 20. Veka (Patrons and contributors in Serbian culture 19 and early 20 century), in: A. Stolić, N. Makuljević (ed.), Privatni život kod Srba u devetnaestom veku, Beograd 2006, pp

9 Narrative of Cultural Heritage [3] Martovski pogrom na Kosovu i Metohiji: mart Godine, s kratkim pregledom uništenog i ugroženog hrišćanskog kulturnog nasleđa (March pogrom in Kosovo: th of Mart 2004, with a brief overview of destroyed and threatened Christian heritage), Beograd, [4] Makuljević, Nenad, Ikonopis Vranjske eparhije: (Painting Vranje Diocese ) in: Ikonopis Vranjske eparhije / ed. Miroslav Timotijević and Nenad Makuljević, Beograd Vranje, [5] Makuljević, Nenad, Umetnost i nacionalna ideja u XIX veku (Art and national idea in XIX century), Beograd, [6] Nedeljković, Slaviša, Učiteljsko pitanje (problemi izazvani premeštajima srpskih učitelja u Staroj Srbiji početkom XX veka)( Teacher's question (problems caused by Serbian teacher reassignments in Old Serbia in the early twentieth century) in: Peščanik 1 Časopis za istoriografiju, arhivistiku i humanističke nauke, Niš, [7] Nušić Đ., Branislav, Kosovo : opis zemlje i naroda, I sveska (Kosovo: A description of the land and people, I book), Novi Sad, [8] Nušić Đ., Branislav, Kosovo: opis zemlje i naroda, II sveska (Kosovo: A description of the land and people, II book), Novi Sad, [9] Kuljić, Todor, Kultura sećanja (Cultural memory), Čigoja, Beograd, [10] Popović, Danica, Kult Svetog Joanikija Devičkog (Cult of St. Joanicije of Devic) in: Vizantijski svet na Balkanu, knjiga II, [11] Riker, Pol, Vreme i priča (Time and narrative), IK Zorana Stojanovića, [12] Todić Vulićević, Radmila, Priština, Prištevci i vreme (Pristina, Pristins and time), Novi Sad, [13] Vranići, Biljana, Crkva Sv. Nikole u Prištini (Church of St. Nicolas in Pristina), Glasnik Društva konzervatora Srbije 17, Beograd 1993, pp [14] Vranići, Biljana, Crkva Sv.Nikole u Prištini i liturgijske knjige (Church of St. Nicolas in Pristina and liturgical books) u: Baština br.8, Priština, 1997, pp [15] Ženarju, Ivana, Debarski zografi na Kosovu i Metohiji (Debar painters in Kosovo), Saopštenja XLIV 2012, Beograd, 2012, pp

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