December 27, 2021

The 10th Century Church of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr in Ramovouni of Messenia


The Church of Saint Stephen is located in Ramovouni, near Vasiliko of Messenia, and dates back to the 10th-11th century.

Initially it was a single-aisled wooden roof structure, with internal dimensions of 2.67x5.35 meters. From the tiled decoration of the monument nothing else was saved, except for 2 small sections of serrated strips.

The temple building has undergone four construction interventions. The first two date back to the time of Emperor Andronikos Palaiologos (+ 1341), the third construction phase was in the period of Ottoman rule or in the times of the Greek Revolution. The fourth and final phase of intervention in the temple building took place shortly before 1986.

Today it is a wooden-roofed three-aisled basilica, the roof was covered with old handmade tiles, which look like the tiles of the katholikon Voulkanou Monastery.

It is probable that it was a small monastery, and the temple is built on the flow of a natural spring whose water comes from the foundations of the east side below the sanctuary. Around the temple there was a fortification that was visible a few years ago.

Today, a statue of Theodoros Kolokotronis has been erected in the surrounding area, since the old man of Moria was born next to this church, and a large square has been formed and there are benches and tables under the plane trees for recreation.