The monastery church of St. Archangel Mikhail and Gabriel
The monastery of St. Naum is located on the southernmost part by the Ohrid Lake, near the springs of Drim river. Its complex is built on an elevated plateau overlooking the lake itself. In the hagiography of St Naum it is stated that the church had been built in the couthern coast of the Ohrid Lake dedicated to St Archangel Mikhail and St Archangel Gabriel. St Naum had established this monastery towards the end of his life (900-905).He died in 910 and was buried in the monastery. It is also presumed that the oldest Naum's church, the church of St. Archangels had been built between 893, the year when Naum had come to Macedonia and 910 when he died. The original church had a triple apsidal base. There are no data available when the name of the monastery had been changed, however since 1630, in Russia this monastery had been known under its present name- the monastery of St. Naum. It is presumed that the original monastery church of St Archangel Mikhail and Archangle Gabrielhads been demolished and devastated by Ali Pasa Janinski towards the end of 18 century, when he also destroyed Moskopole, while others considered that the old triple apsidal church had been completely ruined between the 15 and 16 century. According to the latest researches, it is ascertained that the resent-day church originates from the period under the Turkish rule and it had been built on the foundations of the old Naum's church.The monastery had remained in such a devastating state for many years, until the coming of the hieromonk Grigorie from Moskopole – the Eparchy of Korcha. Helped by the Christians, he had renovated the monastery and built two cells. He arranged and consecrated the temple and had built the portico (pronaos – the nartex).
In 1711, the iconostasis had been made in wood-carving, and its throne icons, festive icons, and the icons of the holy apostles had been painted too. The iconostasis is one of the oldest dating in the 18 century, and represents an extraordinary artistic accomplishment. It had been made by under the influence of the wood-carver's shops on the Holy Mountain, what opens the possibility that the master wood-carver had been educated there. The latest finding s about the fresco paintings in the monastery of St Naum indicate that the greatest painting complex of the late Byzantine painting in Macedonia from the period of transition from XVIII to XIX century has been preserved in the monastery of St Naum and it incorporates the knowledge and experiences of the XVIII century art on themes attached to Naum of Ohrid and his contemporaries of the Ohrid's School. The monastery of
St. Naum had been the center and mainspring of the educational activity and lessons had been held in the monastery lodging houses. It is one of the oldest and richest monasteries in Macedonia.
