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Proposal for protection

In Svetozar Miletić, once a noble German village in Bunjevac, a calvary was formed very early next to the church as a place of worship. As one of the architectural symbols of the village of Svetozar Miletić (formerly Lemeš Miletića), this calvary with stations and a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Mercy, which is located in the cemetery, on a hill not far from the village church, represents a unique architectural solution and enchants with the beauty of expression. It is also a living testimony to the existence of noble villages in the vicinity of Sombor. The old chapel that existed on this site was demolished in 1924, when the construction of an imposing chapel began, designed by the Sombor engineer Svetozar Krotin. It was conceived as a sanctuary, modeled after Lourdes, which the stations with scenes of Jesus' birth were supposed to remind of. The chapel was completed four years later, in 1928, and dedicated on August 5th to Our Lady of the Snows. Pilgrimages began there, and this place lived a pilgrim life until the end of World War II. The building itself is interesting for its architectural solutions. It was built in the neoclassical style, on three levels. In the basement there is a crypt with tombs that were sold to locals at the time it was built, and the money was used to finance the initial work on the chapel. The ground floor is a small chapel where services are held. The altar area is decorated with a statue of the Mother of God, on the left side is the fourteenth station - a depiction of the laying of Jesus in the tomb, and there is also a marble slab with a list of the people of Lemeš who died in World War I. On the roof is the thirteenth station - a composition of three crosses. The original crosses have rotted away, but new ones were installed in 1998. years. The roof itself also serves as a lookout, as it is the highest point in the village. In good weather, you can see Harkány (Hungary), the Monument to the Fallen Soldiers in Batina (Croatia), Sombor and the Cathedral of St. Theresa in Subotica. The building is adorned with two towers planned for bell towers, but the bells were never installed. The first 10 stations are still in place. The Provincial Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments has registered the building for the purpose of preparing a Proposal for the designation of immovable cultural property, which will be worked on in the coming period.
Photography: Maria Erdelji