Photos

In January 1978 I was a fortunate “tourist” since I happened to be traveling in former Yugoslavia, Greece and Italy at a time when I could count tourists on the fingers of one hand.
Here I was alone, me, this little church, the eerily empty Ohrid Lake, a cold wintry breeze and the distant Mountains of Albania. Inside the little church I could feel the centuries that passed as the stucco had peeled away and the weather had stained the walls. The silence was overwhelming and I knew why this spot was chosen for the worship of God. If one couldn’t find Him here, then he couldn’t be found anywhere else in Macedonia.

When I stood above the little church, I remember being excited the streak of light illuminating the water in the distance. I held the camera ready to take the shot. But I wasn’t totally happy- the composition needed something more. Just then a flock of ravens flew past. Click!

Image scanned from an old B&W film.

Saint John the Theologian, Kaneo (Macedonian: Свети Јован Канео, Latinic: Sveti Jovan Kaneo) or simply Saint John at Kaneo is a Macedonian Orthodox church situated on Kaneo overlooking Lake Ohrid in the city of Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia. The church is attributed to the author of the Gospel of John, John the Theologian. The construction date of the church remains unknown but documents detailing the church property suggests that it was built before the year 1447. Archaeologists believe that the church was constructed some time before the rise of the Ottoman Empire very likely in the 13th century. Restoration work in 1964 led to the discovery of frescoes in its dome
Wikipedia.