Church of SS Peter and Paul

About

The Church of Saints Peter and Paul (Serbian: Црква светих апостола Петра и Павла, romanized: Crkva svetih apostola Petra i Pavla), also known as the Serbian Church (Romanian: Biserica Sârbească), is an Eastern Orthodox church located in the Serbian Square (Romanian: Piata Sârbească), Arad, Romania. It is under jurisdiction of the Eparchy of Temišvar of the Serbian Orthodox Church. It was built between 1698 and 1702, by the Serb community of the city, and represents one of the oldest buildings in Arad.

During the Great Turkish War (1683-1699), the city of Arad came under Habsburg rule, and Serbian captain Subota Jović was appointed commander of Arad in 1691. The border with the Ottoman Empire was set on the Mureș River, and thus the region of Pomorišje around Arad was organized as a Military Frontier, inhabited by Serbs who served in frontier units. As a consequence, a church was built in the biggest city of the area, Arad.

The building was financed by Serbian officer and nobleman Jovan Tekelija. Artist Stefan Tenecki painted the icons of the iconostasis in the second half of the 18th century. Throughout the 18th century, the church was center of religious life for all Eastern Orthodox...