Church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary

At the centre of Tsaritsani, at an excellent location next to the Oikonomeios School, is the largest and more recent church of the town, which is dedicated to the Dormition of the Virgin Mary and is the Metropolitan church.

As we are informed by an inscription that survives on its wall, it was constructed in 1749. It was destroyed by fire in October 1818 and its roof was reconstructed two years later over the walls. In 1986 it was destroyed again by fire and was reconstructed over the foundations of the old church, with an effort to re-establish its initial form. According to tradition, on its southern side there was previously the chapel of Agios Ioannikios, which has been destroyed, but we don’t know when or why.

The church is a three-aisled, wooden-roofed basilica, with larger the central aisle. In its initial form it must have been richly decorated in its interior with wall paintings that mustn’t be so interesting. However, there were important woodworks, which were destroyed in the fire of 1986. Remarkable was the elaborate screen of 1753, with various decorative themes and scenes, the pulpit, which was in the form of an archangel as a Roman warrior, and the despotic throne with the lions at its basis. At the modern church there are important relics, among them religious vestments and the donations of Constantine Oikonomou, distinguished member of the clergy and scholar who came from Tsaritsani. 

The church celebrates on the 15th of August and on Sunday of Orthodoxy, day when they carry out the memorial service for Constantine Oikonomou, with an exhibition of his religious vestment.