| St. Mary's Church | |
| Native Name: | Kisha e Shën Mërisë |
| Native Language: | sq |
| Designation1: | Cultural Monument of Albania |
| Location: | Elbasan |
The St. Mary's Church (Albanian: Kisha e Shën Mërisë) is an Eastern Orthodox church and monastery in Elbasan, Albania. It became a Cultural Monument of Albania in 1963.[1]
The church's building started in 1483 in the Vlach neighborhood, but it ended almost a century later: the church had its first religious services only in 1556. It was built entirely in stone in a completely particular way, with stones carved in the shape of a cross, which can still be seen today.[2] The church was frescoed by Onufri and restored by David Selenica. In the 18th century it was entirely burned by a fire, so it was rebuilt in the beginning of the 19th century.[2] Some of the most famous preachers in the church have been Fan Noli and Visarion Xhuvani.[2]
In the 1990s the church became the seat of a split fraction of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania.[3]
In 2008 the Albanian government financed reconstruction of the church.[4]