BELIČICA
BELICHITSA, Municipality of Mavrovo and Rostuša
Church of St. Nicholas, village of Belichitsa, 1885
(4-807-003/55 E-ND)
The Church of St. Nicholas in the village of Belichitsa was built in 1885, according to the inscription carved into the entrance portal at the northern entrance of the temple. The portal is crafted from three large blocks of dressed stone, the upper monolithic block of which is arched and molded. Above the portal, there is a rectangular niche featuring a modern icon of the patron saint, St. Nicholas. The church is a monumental three-nave structure with a semicircular apse on the east and an additional narthex added to the west in recent times. The roof is gabled, featuring a small hexagonal dome re-covered in recent times with sheet metal. The temple is constructed of rubble stone, while the wall junctions are reinforced with dressed stone blocks, matching the masonry of the apse and the cornice. On the north wall, there are five rectangular windows, while the south wall has four, made of massive dressed stone blocks.
The interior of the temple is a three-nave rectangular structure divided by two colonnades, each consisting of two massive circular pillars connected to one another by arches. To the east stands a three-tiered wooden iconostasis topped with a Large Cross. On the west side, a gallery is erected featuring a wooden lattice musharabiya. The church vault is partially frescoed by an unknown painter from the end of the 19th century. Two divine hypostases are painted on the vault of the central nave, and busts of the Evangelists are depicted in circular medallions above the pillars. On the altar vault, there is a half-length representation of God Sabaoth floating in a segment of the sky.
God Sabaoth (B!G\ SAVwt) is depicted as an old man with a long white beard, bestowing a blessing with both hands. Above his head are painted two oppositely placed triangles forming a star. Above the gallery on the west side of the nave, there is a half-length representation of Christ the Angel of the Great Council as a winged angel floating in a segment of the sky. Christ the Angel of the Great Council (V!LKAGw SOV]TA ANGELOV) blesses with both hands raised. Above his head is a golden halo from which rays of light radiate. Busts of the Evangelists are painted in circular medallions above the pillars. On the north side of the central nave (West–East), there is a half-length representation of Evangelist Mark (S!TAI A!P. I E!n. MARKO) with the symbol of the lion, holding a closed Gospel in his hand. Next is the representation of Evangelist Matthew (S!TAI A!P. I E!n. MAtEI) with the symbol of an angel beside him, holding a closed Gospel in his hands. On the opposite side, the representations of the Evangelists have not been preserved.
The monumental iconostasis screen on the west side of the nave completely conceals the altar space. The iconostasis is three-tiered with a large iconostasis cross above it. Small columns crafted with floral and anthropomorphic woodcarvings separate the main (throne) icons. They are connected to each other by arches, creating distinct compartments. The first tier is reserved for the main throne icons, the work of Nikola Mihailov from Kruševo (1888). The other two rows consist of small icons from the Deesis with the Apostles, and above it, the festal row of icons, the work of icon painter Krsto Avramov from Tresonče (1896). The church also preserves works by the painter Hadzhi Anagnost from 1837 and other icons by unknown masters.
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