The Apostles (Elgar) the disciples of Jesus and their reactions to the extraordinary events they witness. Despite arranging the commission in December 1901, Elgar paid little attention to "The Apostles "until July 1902, when he had finished composing and rehearsing his "Coronation Ode", Op. 44. Elgar's planning of the libretto included a long immersion in theological writings, as well as Wagner's sketch for "Jesus von Nazareth", and Henry W. Longfellow's poem "The Divine Tragedy". He assembled his libretto from verses of scripture, as had been the pattern for many of the most influential oratorios, including Handel's "Messiah" (1741) and Mendelssohn's "Elijah" (1836). After
Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, Topčider Saint Sava who, in turn, doesn't resemble at all the best known Sava's representation, in the Mileševa monastery. As a curiosity, none of the saints is painted with a halo. Carvings were done by sculptor Dimitrije Petrović. The church and the adjoining konak were placed under the state protection in 1949. The church is under reconstruction, which is expected to be completed by 2015, two hundred years since the start of the Second Serbian Uprising. Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, Topčider Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, known as the Topčider Church () is the