BOGDEVO, Mavrovo and Rostuša Municipality
St. Demetrius Church, village of Bogdevo,
4-807-007/57 E-ND
(reg. icons 9007-9028)

The Church of St. Demetrius in the village of Bogdevo was built in 1910, according to the inscription recorded on the patron niche above the western entrance to the church. In the inscription, below the lunette featuring the patron scene of St. Demetrius on horseback slaying the warrior, the names of those responsible for constructing the church are recorded, along with information about the painter Ruse Krstić from Lazaropole, who was engaged in 1924 to paint the fresco decoration of the church:

This church of St. Great Martyr Demetrius was erected in 1910 from contributions collected among the Society of Serbian Brothers in Belgrade. Vasilije Jevtimović, a teacher, and Artemija Serafimović, both from Bogdevo, took care of collecting contributions and erecting this church. Consecrated by His Grace the Metropolitan of Skopje, Mr. Varnava, on 21/8–IX–1912. The interior of the church was crafted by icon painter Ruse Krstić from Lazaropole on 5–III–1924.

The church is a single-nave building with a hexagonal apse on the eastern side. A narthex was added to the western side in more recent times. The roof, nowadays restored with sheet metal, is a gable roof featuring a small hexagonal dome positioned toward the western side. The church is built from crushed stone, while dressed stone blocks were used for the corners and the final cornice. The northern wall features one rectangular window, while the southern wall has two, constructed from rectangular dressed stone blocks. A cross-shaped opening is pierced in the upper part of the apse.

The nave of the church features a three-tier iconostasis on the eastern side topped with a Large Cross, while a raised gallery floor is built on the western side. The temple is vaulted with a wide central blind dome. Painted at the apex of the dome is a bust portrayal of Jesus Christ Pantocrator(i"S "HS VSEDER@ITELX), blessing with His right hand while holding an open Gospel in His left hand with the text: (AZ\ ESMX /SV]TX MJ /RA,SV]T /MJRA NE /PRIDETX /KO MN]GO /PRIDWTX /KO BwGA). On the ring around the medallion, the following text is written: (GOSPODI GOSPODI PRIZDRI SNEBESE, VI@DX I POSVxTXi HRAM\ SEI EGw@E NASADI I OUTVERDI DESNICA TVOx).

In the shallow drum of the dome, the four evangelists with their personifications are painted in a cruciform arrangement. To the west, below Christ, Evangelist Mark is painted with the lion beside him (S"TXiI AP. I EV. MARKO), bearing text on the open codex: (ZA^ALO/ E"UGLJA/ i"ISA HR/ ISTA/ S..BO/ @v). To the east, above Christ, Evangelist Luke is painted with the  depiction of the calf (S"TXiI AP. I EV. LyKA), bearing text on the open codex: (PONE@E/ OUBw ^I/ ..TI NA/ ^A[A). On the northern side, Evangelist Matthew is painted with the angel beside him (S"TXiI AP. I EV. MAtEI), bearing text on the open codex: (KNIGA/ RODSTVA/ i"ISA HR/ ISTA/ DAVIDO/ VA S"NA/ AVRAAM/ Ax). On the southern side, Evangelist John is positioned with the depiction of an (S"TXiI AP. I EV. JwANN\), bearing text on the open codex: (VO NA^A/ L] B]/ SLOVO I/ SLOVO B]/ K\B"Gy/ I BOG/ B] SLOVO/ SEI B]). In the left corner of the scene of Evangelist John, the painter's signature is recorded: Done on November 2, 1923, by icon painter Rusalim Krstić from the village of Lazaropole.

Standing figures of prophets are painted between the evangelists: St. Prophet Solomon (S"TXiI PR. I CAR SwLOMON\), with text on an open scroll: (SEI GOSPODX NEBw I ZEMLx SOZDA); St. Prophet David (S"TXiI PR. I CAR DAVID), with text on an open scroll: (SLI[I D{ERI I PRIKLONI OYHO TVOE); Elijah (S"TXiI PR. ILiI), with text on an open scroll: (REVNyJA PO REVNyVAHX PO G"SD] BOZ] VSEDER@ITEL]); and St. Prophet Elisha (?)(S"TXiI PR....) , with text on an open scroll: (wT^E wT^E KOLESNICA IZRAILEVA I KONICA EGw).