Ljuba Saračević, a Belgrade merchant and a military supplier, was born in the village of Šilopaj. He left his hometown an impressive endowment – a new church together with the residence for a priest and his villa. His friend Dragutin Maslać, an architect, was in charge of their construction. He made the design for the house and the villa fast, but since he was already old, the architect Vasilije Androsov made the design for the building of the temple. Maslać was his advisor until the day of his death.

The construction of the biggest church (even nowadays) on the territory of the Municipality of Gornji Milanovac started in July 1936, and it was completed in 1939. All three built facilities were consecrated by the bishop of Žiča Nikolaj Velimirović. The temple has the shape of a single nave basilica with a pentagon altar apse in the east and two side triangular ambons at the ends of the transverse nave, which gives it the form of a cross combined with a triconch. There is a big square pedestal at the intersection of naves, which supports a tall sophisticated octagonal dome. There is a narthex in the west, with a square-shaped bell tower (containing three-part openings and stylized Ionic columns) rising above it.  There is a baptismal font to the right of the entrance. The crypt for the founders is located in the southwest part of the temple.

The mausoleum church of the Karađorđević Dynasty in Oplenac served as a model for building this church. When it comes to the style, it reflects the tendencies of the Raška School combined with the details of Morava building tradition – especially the exterior – which makes a harmonious and monumental architectural whole. It is divided with a horizontal outlet that follows the arch shape of the windows on the entire building. The exterior of the church in Šilopaj is rich in stone-mason’s work, which was probably done by masters from Lika seaside region, as they are mentioned to have participated in the building of the church.

The church is made of clear-cut blocks of yellow sandstone from a nearby quarry close to Takovo, and it is covered with a tiled roof. Grey stone from Šilopaj was used for skirting. A staircase leads to its two portals – the main one in the west and the side one in the east. The main portal is lavishly decorated on the model of the church in Oplenac. Above the massive wooden double door with wrought iron ornaments there is a mosaic featuring Saint Nicholas in the gable.

The interior of the temple is constructed with great attention. The lower part of the walls contains the high gold-red polished skirting made of one type of onyx from Priština’s surroundings. Above that, there is a fresco decoration designed by Steva Dimitrijević and professor Lazar Mirković, and painted by former court painters Boris Obraskov and Ivan Dikij, who made models for the mosaics for the church in Oplenac. Architect Nikola Krasnov had a big role in giving the interior the final look. He made drawings for the iconostasis, tables for the king and the bishop, as well as ambons, on the model of Serbian Middle Ages. He also produced drawings for the big bronze chandelier.