Mural Paintings of the Monastery Church of Ss. Apostles Peter and Paul in Vithkuqi

Vithkuqi is one of the areas of Southeastern Albania, which experienced a rapid economic and social development during the second half of the 17th century and the first half of the 18th century. Vithkuqi was an important center of the Albanian-Macedonian-Thessal zone, known for their special history during the mentioned centuries, under the ottoman invasion. Because of this special development happening in Vithkuqi, many churches were built there in the 18th century. The most important religious buildings, during this period, were the monastery of SS. Apostles Peter and Paul. Parts of this monastery were the churches SS. Peter and Paul and the mortuary chapel of SS. Kosmas and Damian. Both religion buildings inside the monastery territory were decorated in the 18th century with mural paintings by the famous painters Constantine and Athanas Zografi. The religious themes of these paintings inside the church of SS. Peter and Paul, the iconographic and artistic features of these mural paintings made by the Zografi brothers, are the main themes that will be discussed in this work.Keywords: Mural painting, Post-Byzantine, Vithkuqi, Orthodox Art.