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Figure 7: Details of the Northwest Capital of the Column (photo Jasmina S. Ćirić) Sensory Encounters: Decoding the Symbolism of St Nicholas Church in Ljuboten
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accentuates their rule as Divinely sanctioned,
tradition of the Nemanjić dynasty but also ex- reflecting the Biblical notion that God appoints
presses broader aspirations of the Serbian state. all rulers to shepherd their people in righteous-
Prominently sculpted on the capital, the ness, as attested in passages such as Romans 13:1,
cross embodies the fundamental Christian ten- which states: ‘Let every soul be subject to the
ets of Christ’s sacrifice and Humanity’s salva-
tion. It is a constant reminder of the Divine 4 King Dušan’s official imagery evolved alongside his ex-
panding authority. As his status shifted from a king to an
mandate for the rulers it faces, reinforcing their emperor, depictions of him became more grandiose and
role as defenders of the Faith. Its proximity to ceremonious. This intentional visual development under-
scores the deep connection between power and its rep-
the portraits of King Dušan and Queen Helen resentation (Cvetković 2022, 184).
