A church dedicated to the Mother of God, Saint Virgin Mary, has been built in the village of Drenovo, located around twenty kilometers southeast of the Gradsko-Prilep road.
Church Holy Mother of God  in the village of Drenovo , 14th century

People link the construction of this church with the construction of Poloski monastery, telling a story that teaches and educates people about proper human behavior, about modesty and fanfaronade.

People tell stories about the two magnificent masters-builders, a father and a son from Prespa, who built monasteries and churches all around Macedonia together with their assistants. Since there was no church in the village of Drenovo, and simultaneously several rich men from Kavadarci collected enough money to build a monastery, the father and son promised to build both a church and a monastery, so that the son stayed in the village to build the church, and the father departed to the place where he was supposed to raise the monastery.

After the father completed the construction of the Poloski monastery together with his assistants, where he also built several additional rooms, each of them dedicated to a different village, he returned to Drenovo where his son was working.

They set down to talk about their work. The son was bragging that the church he built is so beautiful and well built that even if Saint Ilija comes down from heavens, he would not be able to destroy it. At that moment, caused by his fanfaronade, a lightning struck out of the blue sky, and angry Saint Ilija split the new church in two halves, and as a result of that, people learnt a lesson that one should never compare his capabilities with the ones possessed by saints.

People from the Tikves region still tell stories about the split church in the village of Drenovo, claiming that all repairs and permanent reconstruction end in vain, since on the day of Ilinden, August 2^nd, the church always cracks at the same spot where it was previously split by Saint Ilija.

The church "Saint Virgin Mary" was built during the reign of emperor Dusan, and it was fresco-painted in 1356 by fresco-artist Dimitrie. From its history, a well-known fact is that it was contributed to St.Pantelejmon on Mount Athos by Konstantin Dragas.

The present appearance of the church represents a three-nave basilica, without a dome and with no remains of fresco-art, but as far as its (former) appearance is concerned, scientists and researchers have concluded that the church represents a "combination between a three-nave dome basilica and cross-shaped church of a narrowed type, with a dome above the naos and narthex, with arched side naves." (Monuments of culture in Republic of Macedonia, group of authors).

During the church construction, antique materials were also used, and it is presumed that these originated from the abandoned settlement of Stobi.

 M. Cvetanovska

Legend about the building of the church Holy Mother of God in Drenovo and the Poloski monastery

About the churches in Macedonia

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