Church of Agios Stefanos

The church of Agios Stefanos is located in the district of Eleousis on the northeastern side of Kastoria. It is one of the oldest surviving churches of the city, as its construction dates back to the 10^th century. The monument preserves a low built Templon and a synthronon in the sanctuary, elements that suggest that the church was used as an episcopal church.

It belongs to the type of the three-naved basilica with a narthex, a women’s quarter and a chapel dedicated to St. Anne. Semicylindrical arches cover the side aisles and the narthex. The masonry consists of semi-carved stones with intermittent brickwork and rich ceramic decoration. One of the earliest depictions of the Second Coming in the narthex survives from the original fresco decoration of the church. The second layer of paintings dates from the end of the 12^th to the beginning of the 13^th century and includes evangelical scenes, full-length figures of prophets and saints. The three depictions of Christ in the arch of the central nave of the monument as Christ Emmanuel, the Almighty and the Ancient of Days in medallions are unique. In the lower area of the frescoes, there are individual, independent representations, as well as depictions of donators, Theodore Limniotis and the “minimal supplicant George”, dating back to the 14^th century.