Saint Dimitrios Katsouris is the oldest church in Arta. It was built in the early 9th century and it shows. This was a time of insecurity and adversity in Greece due to the constant threat of invasion by Slavs and Arabs. The countryside suffered much deprivation and destruction, with a general reduction of living standards. The local architects seem to lack the skills of the past and they produce buildings with heavy proportions and poor materials. Even the use of ancient stones or sculptures seems to decline in importance. As for this church, it was part of an affluent monastery but it is full of architectural imperfections. And nobody knows who this Katsouris was!