Temple of the Nativity of the Virgin, Koretiane

It is a barrel-vaulted sinle nave church and a triple sided arch at its eastern side. The construction of the temple dates to the beginning of the 17^th century, a little after 1604. Built with ashlars, its interior is fully covered with murals. A pair of two blind arcades are carved on each of the three sides of the arch. The three sides of the temple are traversed by a single lined strip of plinth blocks. Another decorative feature is the construction of arches and covings of dark colored stone – of schist in the exterior and of sinter in the interior.

On the eastern wall, within the pair of blind concave arches, lies a semi-destroyed mural, depicting Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus. To the left of the window a cross is shaped by plinth blocks and next to it, another plinth bearing the year 1604. On top of the wall, a six ray rose is carved on two opposing stone blocks.

The main entrance of the temple lies in the northern side of the temple. On its internal side and at its top, one may read the dedicatory inscription.

The narthex, covered by a wooden roof, belongs to the same period as the temple, except for a small part of it, found near the roof. The charnel house, to the northern side of the temple, was possibly the initial temple as niches are found on its eastern wall.

Bibliography: Α. Χατζηνικολάου, Βυζαντινά και μεσαιωνικά μνημεῖα τῆς Ἠπείρου. ΑΔ 21(1966)297. Ιστορικά των Κατσανοχωρίων Ηπείρου. Αθήνα 1969, 169-170. Μανόπουλος, Επιγραφικές και άλλες μαρτυρίες από τα Κατσανοχώρια. ΗΧ 35(2001)99-196, cf.120-124.

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