| Church of St. Peter and Paul | |
|---|---|
Црква Светог Петра и Павла | |
 Church of St. Peter and Paul | |
 Church of St. Peter and Paul | |
| 45°29′33″N15°21′25″E / 45.49250°N 15.35694°E /45.49250; 15.35694 | |
| Location | Miliči |
| Country | Slovenia |
| Denomination | Serbian Orthodox |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Peter andPaul the Apostle |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Metropolitanate of Zagreb and Ljubljana |
TheChurch of St. Peter and Paul (Serbian Cyrillic:Црква светог Петра и Павла,Slovene:Cerkev sv. Petra in Pavla) inMiliči is aSerbian Orthodox church inSlovenia. It is situated on a hill in the western part of the village at an elevation of 274 meters, offering view point towards neighbouringCroatia.[1] The building is surrounded bylinden trees.[1] As the village does not have its own Orthodox priest, services are conducted by a priest fromGomirje Monastery in Croatia, who visits on major religious holidays.[2]
The Serbian Orthodox community has been present in the White Carniola for over 400 years.[3] Historically, the community settled in the area during theOttoman Empire conquests inBalkans.[3] As of 2016 approximately 400 ethnic Serbs still lived in the region.[3]
Miliči itself was established as anUskoks village inWhite Carniola which together with nearby villages forms an small and distinct historic and cultural region inhabited bySerbs of White Carniola.[4] These settlements were established during the organization of theMilitary Frontier system which at the time included the southern part of White Carniola.[1]
The Orthodox Church in Miliči, built around 1856, is one of two Orthodox churches in the region.[3]
The church underwent major renovations in 2016, including restoration of its roof and facade.[3] Every year on 12 July, the Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Miliči hosts the celebration of Petrovdan, the villageSlava (patronal feast).[5]
The Church of Saints Peter and Paul, built in the mid-19th century, is a single-nave building withNeo-Romantic elements.[1] It features a multi-section roof with a central gable oriented northwest–southeast, a bell tower on the northwest side, and an interioriconostasis made by the Jereb workshop inMetlika.[1] A memorial plaque records the church's renovation, carried out by the Serbian Orthodox parish of Marindol with state support.[1]
About 800 meters from the church, a secluded fenced cemetery is located in the forest.[1] According to oral tradition, the site was chosen by ancestors fleeing Ottoman attacks, who brought the remains of earlier generations for protection.[1] The cemetery preserves wooden crosses and some 19th-century stone tombstones, with inscriptions primarily inSerbian Cyrillic and Latin scripts.[1][6] The oldest stone grave belongs to forester Pavle Milić (1844–1911).[1]
