Church of Agios Dimitrios Katsouris on Plisii

Outside the village of Plisii, at the plain of Arta, southwest of the city, is one of the oldest churches of the area, the majestic church of Agios Dimitrios Katsouris, a name that is mentioned since 1229 and comes probably from the name of its founder or the one who was responsible for its renovation.

The church was constructed in the first half of the 9th century and it was the catholicon of a stauropegic monastery which was dissolved in the 18th century. It is one of the oldest examples of the cross-in-square type and presents a rare peculiarity in its architecture. At its interior, its dome is supported on four huge pillars, but among the side ones they have placed columns that create arcades, so that the axis along the length of the building would be emphasized and thus resemble a basilica.

On its exterior, the church’s masonry is temperate and heavy, without any kind of decoration. The narthex and the bell tower are later additions and they have incorporated parts from the initial Byzantine marble screen of the church to the bell tower.

On its interior, the church is decorated with beautiful wall paintings, among which there are the oldest Byzantine wall paintings in the area of Arta. Unfortunately, they are covered with fume to a large extend. The older ones, that survive at the dome and the area of the altar, date from the 13th century, while the more recent ones are the works of the 17th century. The icons from the end of the 13th century are the work of a very important artist, who follows the style of that era, creating monumental figures and using beautiful colors. Also interesting are the marble panels with relief representations, which come from the older marble screen and have been incorporated in the later built one.

It celebrates on the 26th of October.