St. Mary's Church, Labovë e Kryqit
| Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos Kisha e Fjetjes së Virgjëreshës (in Albanian) Ναός Κοιμήσεως της Θεοτόκου (in Greek) |
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| Basic information | |
| Location | Labovë e Kryqit, Albania |
| Geographic coordinates | 40°04′26″N 20°17′25″E / 40.0739°N 20.2902°ECoordinates: 40°04′26″N 20°17′25″E / 40.0739°N 20.2902°E |
| Affiliation | Eastern Orthodox |
| Country | Albania |
| Architectural description | |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Architectural style | Middle Byzantine (circular dome with peristoon) |
The Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos (Albanian: Kisha e Fjetjes së Virgjëreshës,Greek: Ναός Κοιμήσεως της Θεοτόκου), simply known as Koimissi or Saint Mary church is an Eastern Orthodox Christian church in the village of Labovë e Kryqit, in Gjirokastër County, southern Albania. It is one of the most representative examples of Byzantine architecture in Albania.
The foundation of the church dates back to 6th century at the reign of Byzantine Emperor Justinian (527–565 AD). Justinian erected the church in memory of his mother. The present building dates from the 10th century or – according to another source – 13th century, during the time of the Despotate of Epirus.
The church retained a fragment of the True Cross due to a donation by the Byzantine Emperor. According to another tradition, the Byzantine Emperor donated the miracle-working icon of the Virgin, known as "Labovitissa" (Greek: Λαμποβίτισσα). Until 1967, it was a pilgrimage destination for the surrounding Christian communities. Each year on the day of the Dorminition of the Theotokos a procession of the Holy Cross fragment with the Labovitissa icon took place to the adjacent villages. In 1967, religious activities were forbidden by the atheistic policies of the People's Republic of Albania. Recently a number of initiatives to revive such festivities had limited results.
The church has been declared a Cultural Monument of Albania. Today, it's considered one of the most significant examples of Byzantine architecture in Albania.
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Wikipedia