A few kilometers from Popovac, near the medieval town of Petrus on the right bank of the Crnica River, lie well-preserved remains of a medieval church built on a rock. The church was constructed in the tradition of Moravian Serbia's architecture and bears direct analogies to the Church of the Holy Virgin in Lešje. It has a triconch layout with a simultaneously built narthex and dome. The prothesis and diaconicon are designed as separate spaces, projecting outward from the side walls, making the eastern part of the church wider. The church was built from stone, with tuff used for the vaults and arches, and all the exterior and partition walls, as well as the beginnings of the arches and vaults, are preserved.

The remaining structures of the monastery complex are situated to the southwest and south of the church, their arrangement dictated by the terrain's configuration. These consist of two buildings with a total of five rooms. The structure southwest of the church measures 14m×6.60m, while the remains of the second building, measuring 13m×6.20m, are located south of the church. Both buildings have preserved wooden beam sockets in their walls, indicating that they were originally two-story structures.

With its typical architectural features, the church ranks among the significant architectural achievements of the late 14th and early 15th centuries. It belongs to the notable medieval Petrus Region and is believed to have been constructed as a noble church, commissioned by the nobleman Crep, son of Vukoslav, a nobleman under Emperor Dušan.

Bibliography:

1. Brmbolić, M. (2011), Mala sveta gora u klisuri reke Crnice, str. 67–73, Republički zavod za zaštitu spomenika kulture Beograd, Beograd.
2. Prokić, R. (1986), Srednjovekovna arhitektura petruške oblasti, str. 72–81, Zavod za zaštitu spomenika kulture Kragujevac, Kragujevac.
3. Svetlana Popović, Krst u krugu, Republički zavod za zaštitu spomenika kulture Beograd, Beograd, 1994.
4. Feliks Kanic, Srbija, zemlja i stanovništvo, knjiga 2, Beograd, 1991; ponovljeno izdanje: Srbija, zemlja i stanovništvo od rimskog doba do kraja XIX veka, druga knjiga, LOGOS ART, Beograd, 2007.