St Mary Church, Permet Travel Guide

St Mary Church, also known as the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos, is a cultural and historical monument located in the village of Labovë e Poshtme, near Libohova. It is one of the oldest Byzantine churches in Albania, with its original construction dating back to 554 AD during the reign of Emperor Justinian I. According to legend, Justinian built the church in memory of his mother or as a reward to a local commander named Konstandin Laboviti.While the original foundation dates back to the 6th century, some historians believe that the current structure is more representative of a 10th to 13th-century reconstruction during the Despotate of Epirus. The church features a typical Byzantine design, characterized by a high central dome, a cruciform plan, and a later narthex providing the main entrance. Inside, visitors can admire nine distinct levels of well-preserved frescoes that narrate biblical stories and display the artistic skills of the period.For centuries, the church housed a golden cross believed to contain a fragment of the True Cross of Jesus. This precious relic, covered with 600 grams of gold, was stolen in 1989 during a period of civil unrest. Due to the importance of the cross, the village became known as "Labova of the Cross". Today, St Mary Church remains a significant pilgrimage site, with people from the region gathering every year on September 8th to celebrate the Day of St Mary.