By JERUSALEM POST STAFF

Only three White Angel frescoes remain in Serbia, including in this small church.

An ancient church in the Pirot settlement of Staničenje, nestled at the foot of Mount Belava by the Nišava River, was built in 1331 and dedicated to Saint Petka. It is considered one of the most significant sacral monuments of medieval Serbia, according to Vecernje Novosti.

Better known among local residents as the Church of Saint Paraskeva, the church hides a rare depiction of the White Angel—a heavenly guardian with white wings, different from anything known in Serbian church painting. Only three such frescoes have been preserved in Serbia: in Mileševa, Studenica, and in this small church near Pirot.

“This depiction of the White Angel is part of the composition of the Myrrhbearers at Christ's tomb. The fresco shows Archangel Gabriel dressed in a white chiton and himation. He sits on a stone of burgundy color and shows the Myrrhbearers with his right hand the place of Christ's resurrection. The fresco was created a hundred years after the painting of the White Angel in Mileševa, but here there is no copying or use of any patterns and schemes. The master did it according to his knowledge and feeling, using pigments that fit into the dark blue background. The fresco painter also used olive-green and light-pink in modeling the chiton. Unfortunately, the fresco has damage; the angel's eyes have been gouged out, probably during the time of Turkish rule when many frescoes were destroyed. Unlike the White Angel from Mileševa, the Staničenje one was done perhaps more modestly, but very impressively and expressively with dominant white wings," explained art historian Radmila Vlatković, according to Vecernje Novosti.

“In the depiction of this White Angel, there is no analogy in other churches and monasteries, or at least I have not encountered it in my long-term research,” stated Professor Dragan Mitić, one of the authors of the monograph “The White Angel from Staničenje - Seven Centuries of Silence,” according to Vecernje Novosti. 

Archaeological research within the naos has uncovered remains of noble burials. Among these, the grave of a young noblewoman with a gold-woven robe and jewelry stands out. These archaeological finds have revealed the wealth and power of the Urošević family. Remains of clothing and jewelry in the graves indicate a strong influence of Byzantine culture. Artifacts found in the graves match the motifs depicted on the frescoes, clearly indicating that the painter faithfully conveyed the spirit and everyday life of that era.

Over the centuries, the church has undergone numerous construction phases, from the demolition of the narthex in the 16th century to the reconstruction in the 19th century, when it acquired its current appearance. For centuries, it was known by the name Church of Saint Nicholas.