Nowadays, on the occasion of the 1060th anniversary of his death, the Slav peoples, and above all the Macedonian nation, have a moral and historical duty to express their admiration and gratitude for his work. The reason for this is not simply pious respect, but because the work of St. Naum of Ohrid has been extremely significant in preserving Slavic, and particularly Macedonian, identity. It should also be mentioned that St. Naum was born in Macedonia, that he was active among the Slav peoples of Moravia and Panonia, and that he returned to his native land to spend the last years of his life in intensive work.

Just as the Holy Brothers, Cyril and Methodius endured many hardships in their educational-missionary work, so their followers trod the same martyr’s path of suffering. St. Naum of Ohrid was no exception. In fact, from the departure for Moravia in 862 until the deaths of Cyril (869) and Methodius (885), Naum, together with Kliment and the other pupils, was inseparable from his teachers. But their most difficult and fateful moment was after the death of Methodius, for, under the influence of German churchmen, the Franks attacked the pupils. And then, in the words of Kliment of Ohrid’s biographer:


"Soldiers, stern men because they were Germans and by nature fierce, their fierceness being increased by their orders, took the priests, led them out of the town, pulled off their clothes and began to drag them along naked. Thus by one act they did them two wrongs: dishonored them and tortured them in the icy fog, which had descended on the Danube banks. Besides this, they put their swords against their heads, ready to cut them, and their spears against their breasts, ready to make them bleed, so they would not die a sudden death..."

"Subjected to cruel torture, some of the pupils succumbed, while the others, among them particularly Gorazd, Kliment, Naum, Sava and Angelarius, were declared excommunicate by Bishop Vihing. Their books were seized or burnt. The younger pupils (about 200) were sold as slaves, while these five were driven out of the country."

On the way home to Macedonia, Kliment, Naum and Angelarius (who died shortly after), stopped for a short time at Pliska in Bulgaria, at the request of the Bulgarian prince, Boris. There was great interest in them as followers of the Holy Brothers and they were very warmly welcomed here, being asked to stay to continue their educational work. Not wasting any time, Kliment and Naum, aware of how much they had lost by the destruction of their books in Moravia, used this short break to write and translate service books from Greek into the Old Slav language.

Against the wishes of Prince Boris that they should remain in Pliska, Kliment and Naum tried to set out for their native land as soon as possible. However, when Boris found that he could not hold both, he made the condition that if Kliment went, Naum should remain. This was a very painful moment for the two inseparable teachers (some historians even consider that they may have been brothers), but they had no choice: if Kliment was to go. Naum had to stay.

At Devol-Kutmicevica, among his own people, Kliment successfully continued the educational work of his teachers. Devol, Glavnica and Ohrid, the seat of Kliment’s university, soon became centres at which very learned men — deacons and sub deacons, presbyters and monks — gained their education. Thus, this region in Macedonia became a true cradle of Slav education and culture.

And while Kliment was engaged in the fruitful work, which earned him the indebtedness of the Macedonians and other Slav nations, his friend Naum was occupied with similar educational activity for which he had become famous in Pliska. In the monastery of St. Panteleimon he managed to gather around him and impart elementary and more advanced knowledge to a large number of young men. He thus became the founder of the famous Preslav educational center in Bulgaria.

In scholarship and ability St. Naum of Ohrid was almost the equal of St. Kliment, as can be seem from the fact that Constantine the Philosopher (St. Cyril) chose him, together with Kliment, to accompany him to Moravia. Among the large number (over 200) of disciples of Cyril and Methodius, Naum, Kliment, Gorazd, Sava and Angelarius were always set apart from the others, both by their teachers and by their enemies. For it is well known that while the rest of the Holy Brothers’ followers were sold as slaves, these five were imprisoned, tortured and finally driven from Moravia.

And then came the moment when Kliment wanted to leave for Macedonia and when Prince Boris determined to keep Naum:

"Kliment long followed in Methodius’ footsteps and acquired his mastery of both preaching and writing in the Slav language. I part from him with sorrow. But his companion Naum will remain with us, and that is some consolation, for Naum is just as much a master of Slav scholarship. And Naum, like an eagle, will gather the young under his wings and continue with them the work already begun."

When Kliment was nominated the first Slav bishop in the Balkans in 893, he made his acceptance of Episcopal office before Prince Simeon (son of Boris) conditional upon Naum’s return to Macedonia:

"Allow Father Naum to come with me (said Kliment to Prince Simeon). If it please the Lord, for the good of the people, that I should take up a bishop’s staff, who will continue my teaching at Kutmicevica? Only Naum could do that."

It is not accidental that St. Naum is referred to during the liturgy by the expression "light of all the people of Moesia". According to some versions, it is assumed that St. Naum of Ohrid was in fact the author of the work of Crnorizec Hrabar. It is well known, however, that Hrabar’s apology is the most clearly reasoned defense of Cyril’s work, not only as a continuation of the struggle against trilingualism, but as a protest against the Grecophile party, which aimed to impose its wishes with regard to the alphabet as well as gain control of church life.

During his seven-year stay (885-893) in Pliska, in the monastery of St. Panteleimon, Presbyter Naum managed to make literate and train many young men. He also translated a number of service books from Greek into Slavic. This was very important in view of the fact that after the death of Methodius, the Franks destroyed all the Slav hooks, which the Holy Brothers and their followers had translated.

In 893, these two great men finally achieved their wish: Prince Simeon was obliged to let Naum go. Naum, now a bishop, returned to Macedonia together with Kliment. While Bishop Kliment was occupied with his duties of office in the Great Eparchy (thought to have covered the district of Kutmicevica which included, besides Ohrid, Devol and Glavinica, the towns of Kichevo, Prilep, Bitola, Prespa, Meglen, Voden, Kostur, Janina and others), Naum became the head of Kliment’s university at Devol. However, Naum’s health was failing him, so he remained at the head of Kliment’s university for only a few years. Wishing to spend the end of his days in peace and prayer, he arranged with Kliment for the building of the monastery of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel (now St. Naum of Ohrid). And while Naum was building his monastery at the source of the River Drim, below Mt. Galichica, Bishop Kliment was building his — the monastery of St. Panteleimon (now the Imaret) — on the other side of the Lake, in Ohrid. According to the work known as "the second life of Naum", Presbyter Naum completed his monastery in 905, and Bishop Kliment consecrated it.

Shortly after, St. Naum took monastic vows and retired to his monastery, where he spent the rest of his file in peace, solitude and prayer. This act has been linked with the spread of monasticism in Macedonia, for which Naum is considered responsible. Having spent his last years in the service of God and his people, Naum of Ohrid died in his monastery on December 23 (January 5), 910. After the funeral conducted by Bishop Kliment, he was buried in the monastery, and the relics of this worthy and great educator have remained there.