A Narthix precedes the church and is relatively spacious, if compared to the cramped space the church itself occupies.

Frescoes - Theophanis
The frescoes in the church of the monastery have been made by the famous Cretan painter Theophanis Sterlitzas in October 1527 according to the founder's inscription at the entrance of the church.

Theophanis Sterlitzas, the hagiographer of the church comes from Crete, from an artistic family, which immigrated from Peloponnese, that was under Turkish occupation, and most probably the byzantine town Mouchli in the last decades of the 15th century and settled in Crete, that was under Venetian occupation. The artist himself was born around the last fifteen years of the 15th century in Iraklio and followed the steps of his forefathers. He got married and had two children, Symeon and Neofytos, who also became hagiographers in the years to follow.

Before 1527, Theophanis became a monk, perhaps after the death of his wife. In 1536 he joins the brotherhood of Megisti Lavra at Agion Oros, where his children already are, as monks. In 1543 he moves to Karies. He died in Iraklio, Crete, on the 24th of February 1559.

Theophanis was an excellent hagiographer, the main representative of the Cretan School and it was him who gave the School its classic form.

On the 12th October 1527 he completes the painting in the church of Saint Nikolaos Anapafsas at Meteora. This is the oldest of the frescoes that still bear the signature of Theophanis, the master and leader of the Cretan School, the Excellent hagiographer, as his son Neofytos describes him in the inscription at the church of Virgin Mary in Kalampaka, which he painted in 1573.

Eight years later (1535) he paints the church in Megisti Lavra. Also, the exceptional fresco in the Great Dining Room in Megisti Lavra is definitely related to his name (around 1535). In 1545-46 he and his son Symeon will paint the church and the dining room in the newly founded Monastery of Stavronikita.

Three more iconostasis are attributed to him and jhis partners; that of Lavra (1535?), of protatou (1542) and Stavronikita (1546), as well as the frescoes in the chapel of Saint John the Baptist in the Monastery of Stavronikita.

There is no doubt that the frescoes in the small church in the Monastery of Anapafsas bear the signature and all the special features of the unparalleled art of this great Cretan artist: gentleness, freshness, plasticity, soft and bright shades and in general excellent quality and high precision in the design and the colouring of the figures present. All these are features that took their final and mature forms in the great settings he created in his later years in the Monasteries of Lavra and Stavronikita in Agion Oros.

Theophanis in Anapafsa signals the presence of an exceptional artistic mind, since his motifs are unusually rich for the time and their roots are located deep into the byzantine tradition. Occasionally he lets become understood that he has deep knowledge of the richness of Italian motifs (Saint Christoforos, the Throne of Virgin Mary, etc.) which he borrows but adjusts to the strict byzantine patterns, as a true traditional Orthodox hagiographer, deeply respecting the religious tradition, should do. His sensitivity becomes more obvious in the application of decorative designs where he seems to have absolute control of space and practicality.

Despite the limited and shapeless space he was allowed, Theophanis managed to depict easily and to the full all iconographic circles (dogmatic, liturgical as well as the ones related to the life of Christ and the saints).

1) Narthex
Here are depicted the recent founders of the monastery, Dionysios Larissis and priest Nicanor. There are fully presented, dressed as monks and standing next to Virgin Mary, the hope of the believers, and the abbot of Megalo Meteoron, Athanasios.

Many scenes of Jesus Christ's miracles are depicted here, as well as instances from the lives of saints and hermits, great figures of the monastic way of living (Saint Antonios, Saint Efthimios, Saint Savas, Saint Theodosios).

Additionally, there are many impressive scenes such as the Naming of the Animals in Paradise by Adam, where he gives names to the various species of animals and birds, the Assumption of Saint Nikolaos and the impressive scene of the Second Coming.

2) Church
In the cupola one can see Jesus Christ the Merciful, full of love and compassion. All around, there are angels and the ten prophets from the Old Testament holding books, with plasticity in their movements.

Like in the narthix, scenes and instances from saints' lives and saints' figures (whole or to the chest) are presented (Merkourios, Efstathios, Nikolaos the new martyr, loannis from Damaskus, etc.).

There are also depicted scenes from Christ's life and Passions.

3) Sanctuary
Jesus Christ Crucified and Virgin Mary are the ruling images here, accompanied by loannis Chrisostomos and Vasilios the Great.

From the Old Testament, many prophets are depicted. Some of them are Iov the Just, prophet Isaias and lonas, coming out of the stomach of the fish, symbolizing Jesus Christ's Crucifixion and Resurrection.