Location: 29 km (18 mi) South of Ohrid, Lake Ohrid Map
Constructed: 905
Eastern Orthodox Monastery of Saint Naum is situated 29 km (18 mi) South of Ohrid on a cliffs overlooking lake Ohrid in the Republic of Macedonia. It was established in 905 by Saint Naum. He was a student of Saints Cyril and Methodius, two brothers who invented Cyrillic alphabet that is still in use in Macedonia as well as many other countries. Bulgarian kings Boris I and Simeon the Great helped greatly to expand the abbey. Monastery served as an important cultural and education centre for the Orthodox Christians of the whole Balkan peninsula. With the arrival of the Ottoman Turks Monastery of Saint Naum became the centre of the national identity. Even Muslims respected medieval saint and often came here to pay respect to the remains of a great man. Many people believed that prayers of Saint Naum helped with psychological problems and disturbances.
In its original form, this church was almost identical to the
Church of St. Panteleimon in Ohrid. Sometime between the 10th and
13th centuries, the Naum church was completely destroyed. But then,
around the 16th century, the present church was erected on its
foundations in two stages. First, during the renovation, the nave
and the narthex were built, and in the second stage two domes were
erected - above the nave and the narthex. The present church bears
the modifications, and it has the form of an inscribed cross in a
square dome with four pillars. Naum's Tomb is a separate building
with a broad, low dome.
One legend says that St. Naum and St. Clement were brothers and
agreed together to build two monasteries on the disputed areas of
Lake Ohrid. In doing so, the two saints were to begin the
construction of monasteries at the same time, and the beginning of
construction was to be marked by the sound of a bell. However, on
the rope that stretched across the lake the seagulls stopped, and
the bell rang. Clement began construction early. Later, his
monastery of Plaosnik was turned into a mosque for punishment.
Another legend says that St. Naum held the keys to Lake Ohrid, and
by his order, the Crni Drim water passed through the lake without
interfering with the lake water.
Regarding the construction of the monastery, one legend says that
St. Naum traveled somewhere and spent the night at the estate of a
wealthy man who complained that he was unhappy because his daughter
was bald. Then St. Naum made her daughter get hair, and in
thanksgiving, the rich man bowed down to the saint's estate. Later,
on that property, St. Naum built his monastery.
Fresco painting
The most recent rebuilt monastery church was frescoed after 1400, as
evidenced by a fragment found beneath the floor of the present
church. It says that the fresco painting was the work of "the
painter Trpo, son of the painter Constantine of Korca, painted
during the time of the abbot Stephen". The main monastery church is
dedicated to the Holy Archangels Michael and Gavril (Church of St.
Archangels - Ljubanista), and there is a chapel dedicated to the
Thessaloniki brothers (Church of St. Cyril and Methodius -
Ljubanista). Five Roman and churches of Our Lady of the spring of
Drim. and “St. Athanasius ”located not far from the monastery of the
springs of the river Drim.
In 1985, the monastery stolen 13 so-called "celibate icons", painted
by the hieromonk Constantine in 1711. It is the largest theft of
icons in recent Macedonian history, and the icons have not been
found to this day.
Monastery activity
Thanks to the miracle-working of St. Naum, his monastery gained
great popularity. Originally, a monastery was held at the monastery
on the day of his death (December 23, ie January 5 in the new
style), but on May 5, 1720, the Archbishopric of Ohrid decided to
postpone the celebration on June 20 (July 3 after new calendar). The
reason was cited in Archbishop Joseph's letter of 21 May 1740, which
states that the move was made because of winter conditions, as well
as overlapping with Christmas celebrations. The celebration of St.
Naum did not stop even during the communist rule. Thus, the Ministry
of Internal Affairs of Democratic Federal Macedonia, on June 14,
1945, wrote a letter allowing "to open the border for all who come
to the monastery feast", allowing Albanian believers to attend the
fair.
The monastery church
This church in its original form was
almost identical to the church "St. Panteleimon" in Ohrid. Sometime
between the tenth and thirteenth centuries, Naum's church was
completely destroyed. But then, around the 16th century, the present
church was built on its foundations, in two stages. First, during
the reconstruction, the nave and the narthex were built, and in the
second stage, the two domes were erected - above the nave and the
narthex. The present church bears the alterations, and it has the
form of an inscribed cross in a square space with a dome, placed on
four pillars. Naum's tomb is a separate building with a wide and low
dome.
A legend says that St. Naum and St. Clement were
brothers and agreed to build two monasteries together on the sports
side of Lake Ohrid. The two saints were to start the construction of
the monasteries at the same time, and the beginning of the
construction was to be marked with the sound of the bell. However,
gulls stopped on the rope that was stretched across the lake, so the
bell rang and St. Clement started the construction earlier. As a
punishment, later, his monastery on Plaoshnik was turned into a
mosque. Another legend says that St. Naum held the keys to Lake
Ohrid, and on his orders, the water of the Black Drim passed through
the lake without mixing with the lake water.
Regarding the
construction of the monastery, a legend says that St. Naum traveled
somewhere and spent the night on the property of a rich man, who
complained to him that he was unhappy because his daughter was bald.
Then, St. Nahum made the daughter get hair, and as a sign of
gratitude, the rich man gave the property to the saint. Later, on
that property, St. Nahum built his monastery.
Fresco painting
The most recently restored monastery church was painted after 1400,
as evidenced by a fragment found under the floor of the current
church. It says that the fresco painting is the work of "the painter
Trpo, son of the painter Konstantin from Korca, painted in the time
of Abbot Stefan". The main monastery church is dedicated to the Holy
Archangels Michael and Gabriel (Church "St. Archangels" -
Ljubanishta), and there is a chapel dedicated to the Thessalonian
brothers (Church "St. Cyril and Methodius" - Ljubanishta) and St.
Petka Roman and the churches of the Most Holy Mother of God at the
source of Drim. and "St. Athanasius ”which are located not far from
the monastery at the very sources of the river Drim.
In 1985, 13
so-called "kissing icons" painted by the hieromonk Constantine in
1711 were stolen from the monastery. It is the biggest theft of
icons in recent Macedonian history, and the icons have not been
found to this day.
Activity of the monastery
Thanks to the
miracle of St. Naum, his monastery gained great popularity.
Initially, the monastery held a fair on the day of his death
(December 23, ie January 5 according to the new style), but on May
5, 1720, the Archbishopric Council of Ohrid decided to postpone the
celebration to June 20 (July 3 after the new calendar). The reason
for this was stated in the epistle of Archbishop Joseph of May 21,
1740, which states that the move was made due to winter conditions,
as well as to coincide with the celebration of Christmas. The
celebration of St. Nahum did not stop even during the communist
rule. Thus, the Ministry of Interior of the Democratic Federal
Republic of Macedonia, on June 14, 1945, wrote a letter allowing
"the border to be opened for all who come to the monastery for the
holiday", which allowed the believers from Albania to attend the the
fair.
In the monastery "St. Naum” until 1941, two baked
loaves were baked every day. According to a legend, one of the monks
always sat in front of the gate of the monastery and gave a loaf of
bread to each person who passed by. Then the one who would take the
bread would give one bite each to the family, as well as to the
people he would meet. Those traveling to Albania, if intercepted by
climbers, were immediately released as soon as they showed the bread
with an imprinted sign from the monastery. Also, when the abbot sent
the monks to collect donations for the monastery, he gave them more
of these loaves, which they gave to the hungry people.