The Cathedral, the centre of the life of the fraternity, is dedicated to John the Baptist, and is situated at the top of the rocky outcrop. It was rebuilt and decorated with frescoes in the period 1535-1547 with the support of the Voivode (Prince) of Moldavia, Petru Rares, because the original Byzantine church had been destroyed by fire. Two inscriptions testify to this significant sponsorship: One above the main door of the entrance nave, below the fresco of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, and the other on the south wall, below the portraits of the ruler and his family. One of the characteristics of the cathedral is the presence of two typikaria (i.e. polygonal structures) on the eastern corners flanking the sanctuary. In the 16th century, the renowned fresco painter Tzortzis decorated the walls of the cathedral with balanced compositions, reminiscent of the art of the Byzantine era. One may notice his rendering of tall holy figures, with quiet and thoughtful faces.
