A ceramic lithium battery sub-cell is provided. The ceramic lithium battery sub-cell includes a cathode region, an anode region, and a separator interconnecting the cathode region and the anode region. The separator is a ceramic electrolyte free of penetrating apertures. The ceramic lithium battery sub-cell also includes a cathode current collector positioned on a surface of the cathode region, and an anode current collector positioned on a surface of the anode region. The anode region is filled with a first porous electrolyte encapsulated by the separator, the anode current collector and at its periphery by a second porous electrolyte. The porosity of the second porous electrolyte is less than the porosity of the first porous electrolyte.