President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj, paid a visit to the village of Sinjë to honor the historic Assembly of Sinjë. He was accompanied by His Grace Asti, Metropolitan of Berat, Vlorë, and Kanina. During the visit, the President also stopped at the Church of the “Dormition of the Holy Virgin Mary,” a first-category cultural monument.

Afterward, he called for the protection of Albania’s shared values of coexistence and religious harmony by preserving the country’s historical and cultural assets.

President Begaj praised the church as one of the most remarkable in the region. With its 11th-century fresco and its striking location in the heart of the mountain, the site holds deep spiritual and historical meaning. “Let us safeguard our values of peaceful coexistence and interfaith harmony. By honoring and preserving our heritage, we protect our identity. This church in Sinjë is a rare treasure,” he wrote on Facebook following the visit.

The church is a typical example of the eremitic lifestyle that flourished during the 12th and 13th centuries. It preserves three layers of frescoes.

The first layer includes only a surviving fragment of the Virgin Mary Platitera. The second layer, dated to 1292—during the reign of Andronikos Palaiologos and his wife Irene—features a painted inscription. This phase depicts the Deesis scene, with the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist flanking Christ.

Meanwhile, the third layer belongs to the post-Byzantine period. All of the painting was done directly on the natural rock of Mount Shpirag. However, much of it has darkened due to smoke from candles and fires.

In conclusion, President Begaj emphasized that protecting sacred and cultural sites helps reinforce Albania’s national identity and the spirit of interfaith harmony.

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