Church of the Holy Prophet Elijah is an emblematic place for a village Dorkovo. It is located in the very center of the village and at first sight amazes with its beautiful appearance. The church is a miniature resemblance to a temple monument Alexander Nevsky and has an extremely well-preserved and maintained architecture. The church was completely renovated in 2018.
History of the church
The construction of the church "St. Prophet Elijah" c Dorkovo began in 1926. on the initiative of the then mayor - Angel Nestorov and the priest of the old church "St. Elijah" - Foti Minov, a settler from the village of Klepushna, Sersko. Part of the financial resources for the construction of the church are provided by the municipality. With monetary donations and voluntary work, the whole is included population - Christians (Bulgarians and Armenians) and Muslims. Stoimen Cholev, mayor of Kostandovo helps with cheaply marketed Kostandov masters. The church was officially opened in the late autumn of 1928. Her consecration took place during the time of Metropolitan Maxim (Pelov), a senior Bulgarian clergyman, Metropolitan of The Plovdiv one diocese (1906-1938) Until 1931, Father Foti Minov continued to serve in the Dorkovo church.
The architectural project
on the temple was prepared by the young architect Kostadin Todorov Mumdzhiev (1892-1946). The plan of "St. Prophet Elijah" is a reduced architectural form of the cathedral "St. Alexander Nevsky ”in Sofia. The church in Dorkovo is a cross-domed with a bell tower built next to it (with two bells - the big bell was donated by Shteryo Karamanov) and an apse to the east. Its dimensions are: length 26 m, width. 13m. and high. 20m., Built-up area 265sq.m. The central dome is clearly expressed by four semicircular arches. The eastern side of the nave ends with an altar with a throne, and the western - with an emporium.
Interior decoration
very impressive visitors of the temple. The iconostasis has simple wood carvings. The center of the uppermost belt is occupied by The Last Supper, flanked by icons and below it follows a row of icons arranged on both sides of the altar door. The monumental picturesque decoration of the church observes the basic dramatic conditions of the Eastern Orthodox canon: the dome represents the general cosmogonic idea of the beginning and end of the world. On the north wall of the nave are the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius. On the west wall on the right is St. Sophia with her three daughters - Faith, Hope and Love, and on the left St. Barbara, St. Paraskeva and St. Sunday.
The text is kindly provided by Mrs. Velichka Matsanova.
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