The establishment of the congregation goes back to sixth century at the rule of Byzantine Emperor Justinian (527– 565 AD). Justinian raised the congregation in memory of his mom. The present building dates from the tenth century or – as indicated by another source – thirteenth century, amid the season of the Despotate of Epirus.
The congregation held a part of the True Cross because of a gift by the Byzantine Emperor. As indicated by another custom, the Byzantine Emperor gave the marvel working symbol of the Virgin, known as "Labovitissa". Until 1967, it was a journey goal for the encompassing Christian people group. Every year upon the arrival of the Dorminition of the Virgin a parade of the Holy Cross section with the Labovitissa symbol occurred to the contiguous towns. In 1967, religious exercises were prohibited by the skeptical arrangements of the People's Republic of Albania Recently various activities to restore such merriments had constrained outcomes.
The congregation has been announced a Cultural Monument of Albania.Today, it's viewed as a standout amongst the most huge cases of Byzantine design in Albania.
The congregation shares various ordinary highlights of 9th– eleventh century Byzantine engineering. The association of the focal passageway to the backup paths and also the narthexis guaranteed through a triple entry (tribilon).
A few compositional components found at the outside of the building, for example, the arch, the windows and the mix of block and stonework, are affected from contemporary Byzantine places of worship in western Macedonia. The tenth century vault is the most seasoned case of roundabout arch found in the district of Epirus, presumably a development of the more established octagonical style. The fishbone example of the outside is additionally found in various contemporary church structures in Epirus, western Macedonia and Lakonia, in Greece, despite the fact that not a very basic element in Byzantine engineering all in all.
The genuine cross, it was from this relic that the town took its name. The relic was stolen amid the common turmoil in the mid 1990s.
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