ST. MARY’S CHURCH OF LEUSË VILLAGE
Permet, Cultural & Religiuos Site
ST. MARY’S CHURCH OF LEUSË VILLAGE
It represents a naos/temple divided into three naves. The side naves are covered with a spherical cap, while the central nave is barrel vaulted. Drum-shaped domes rise above narrow high windows, and 12 are in the middle space. A double-decker narthex and altar complete the structure. Attached to the south side of the church is a small chapel, built after the church’s original construction. The whole building is constructed of stone and covered with a rare rasa stone. The church is rich in murals and iconostasis. There is a painted inscription on the gate, demonstrating the skills of the artists. The murals are dated 1812, and the carved iconostasis is dated 1817. The special artistic value comprises frescoes and iconostasis carved in walnut wood. Scenes and compositions in wood are taken from the Bible. They have a natural style and craftsmanship that we see not only in the “beautiful door” or “proskinitari,” but in the whole body of the iconostasis. Mural and fresco paintings dating back to 1811 represent multiple entities also taken from the Bible.