The Cathedral of 40 Saints of Sebaste, a ruined Eastern Orthodox monastery overlooking the coastal city of Saranda, is a pilgrimage place, representing an important holy place of the Late Antiquity. The 6th century Byzantine monastery is a significant object of history and tradition which closely link it to the story of the beautiful coastal city and it lies across from the bay where Lekuresi Castle stands.
The testament of 40 saints shows they were buried into a mass grave and their remains to have been left in Sebaste. The strategic and dominating position of the “Forty saints” monastery, its unusual shape with a seven apsidal neph, extraordinary inscriptions on external walls, inscriptions executed in tiles that can not be found anywhere else in this period, show that the monument has been established for a special purpose. The monastery famously includes 40 rooms, one for each of the martyrs it is named after.
The underground complex of the monastery has no illumination, but it consists of an extraordinary air-conditioning system which is thought to have been planned to accommodate a big number of pilgrims. The scholars believe that is has been a result of the existence of a series of important relics in the sanctuary. The basilica has been part of the monastery and up to middle of XIX century, during the complete destruction from World War Two bombings, a community of monks used to take care of it. Kripta is an important part of the church, which has been well-preserved and it is composed by a labyrinth of rooms, halls, corridors and seven chapels. Saranda has been named after the church, which in antiquity was called Onchesmos, whereas in Medieval around XII century, it is mentioned for the first time as Santa Carentet (Forty Saint). Basilica dates back to end of V century beginning of VI century.
It is declared a cultural monument of the first category in 1970.