Serdica

Another aspect associated with the new religion is the active construction of Christian temples. Some of them were reconstructed older buildings, and others – newly built. By the opening of the Middle Ages, in the fortified territory of Serdica and in its immediate vicinity, more than 15 buildings, which can be connected to early Christianity, were fully or partially uncovered, as some of them are still active today (Saint Sophia Church and Saint George Rotunda).

Saint Sophia still attracts great scholarly and public interest. For more than a century, the attention to the church continues to be strong, and to this day there are a number of unsolved questions related to its origin, the stages of reconstruction, and the functions it performed. According to the data collected from the long-term archaeological research, it can be assumed that the original building appeared in the early 4th century. It was beautifully decorated with mosaics in the altar and nave, preserved to this day. The mosaic in the altar represents one of the earliest Christian representations of the Paradise – the Garden of Eden (today on display in the Sofia National Archaeological Museum). A period of several reconstructions of the Christian church followed. Dedicated to Christ Sophos, the Holy Wisdom, it underwent continuous development, with each successive building being larger and more representative.

Today, an archaeological museum is located in the basement of St. Sophia, which contains the architectural remains from the reconstruction of the church, as well as different types of tombs. The naos of the initial church from the 4th century is covered with the original mosaic.

The red-brick St. George Rotunda is an active church. The building belonged to a large ancient complex from the AD 2nd century. In the 4th century it was transformed into a church. It is a central domed structure circular in plan on a square base with four semi-circular niches in the corners. The dome rests on a drum with eight cylindrical windows. Five layers of frescoes, preserved in fragments, were painted sequentially. The earliest one is from the 6th century and contains floral patterns. In the late 9th or early 10th c., a new layer composed of 2 friezes was laid. Fragments of 6 flying angels, as well as the head of one of them, have survived from the upper frieze. The lower frieze contained the images of prophets, today seriously damaged. The third layer is Byzantine from the late 11th – early 12th c. and is filled with saints, prophets and scenes of the Ascension, Assumption, etc. From the fourth layer, applied in the 14th century, a central image of Christ Pantocrator has been preserved. The last mural layer is ornamental from the late 16th century, when the rotunda was for a time converted into a mosque.

Inextricably linked with Christianity was the change of the burial rite. There are two urban necropolises registered to date – the Eastern one, functioning in the 2nd-6th century, and the Western one, organized in the 4th century. The Eastern necropolis is dominating in terms of area and number of burial structures. After the Christianization of the town, the Saint Sophia Church became an attraction center, with the highest density of burials around and in it. Those associated with Christian burials are mainly simple burial pits and vaulted and flat tombs. Many tombs have interior decoration of mosaic floors (in single tombs) and wall paintings. In the wall decoration, the most popular pattern was the cross, painted in various variations. Apart from it, other Christian symbols are also registered – flowers, Chrisms, clusters, garlands and birds. Two tombs are of a particular interest – with images of archangels (Gurko Street) and with an inscription reading: Honorius, Servant of God (Moskovska Street, in front of St. Sophia Church and opened to public).

Also of interest is the only monastery discovered so far in Serdica, located in Lozenets residential area. An early Christian church was built on the site about the third decade of the 4th century. It functioned until the early 5th century, when a massive three-nave basilica was erected over it. In the middle of the century, a fence was built around it, which turned the basilica and the space around it into a fortified ecclesiastic complex. It functioned until the early 6th century, when a pottery workshop was formed on the site.

Until the end of the Late Antiquity, Serdica continued to be an important Episcopal center. The names of a considerable number of bishops are already known. In the late 6th century, an epigraphic inscription shows that even some of the functions of the town administration were performed by the bishop of Serdica (Archbishop Leontius supervised the repairs of the urban water supply).

The Christian heritage of Serdica has its reflection throughout the centuries. It is no coincidence that dozens of monasteries, known today as the Little Sophia Holy Mountain, were founded around the town area during the Middle Ages. Today they are included in pilgrimage routes. Among the numerous temples is the world-famous Boyana Church (wall paintings from 1259), which is included in the list of world cultural heritage under the protection of UNESCO (1979).

ALEXANDER STANEV AND KATYA MELAMED