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KANEO
West of the fishermen neighborhood Kaneo, on a cliff hill above the lake there is a church dedicated to St.Jovan. The church is constructed in the time of the Ohrid family Teologite around 1280.
The church has square base with written cross in inner space, three-side apse on the east side and octagonal cupola leaned on four regular columns supported by pendentives.
It is built of whittled stone in the lower part with alternate horizontal and vertical parts of whittled scale and bricks in the upper part. The apse, the east side and the cupola have ceramic-plastic decoration of the appearance of the fa?ades. Concerning the architecture shape of the upper part of the cupola where there are angular prontones at all eight sides, it is an exception among other old churches in Macedonia.
The assumption that is being accepted is that the architectural shape of the church was under Armenian influence.
According the historical data, during the period of the 17th, 18th and 19th century, the church was abandoned and as a consequence is the deterioration of the larger part of the fresco-decorations.
In the later history of the church several renewals and annexes have been done and in 1889 a new wooden iconostasis was provided and some parts of the old fresco-decorations were repainted.
The parts of the fresco-fresco-decorations of the 13th that have been preserved are the ones in the cupola and apse. In the calotte of the cupola Jesus Christ - Pantocrator is painted and in the tambour there is a presentation of eight prophets grouped by two and in their natural size.
In the ground-floor zone there are images of saints in their natural size where the image of the patron St. Jovan Bogoslov (Theologian) distinguishes. As his counterpart the image of the Christ Osotir (Savior) is given also in a natural size.
The decoration in the altar apse is in a relatively good condition: "The Communion of apostles" and below them the archbishops.
Some elements make this fresco-decoration specific, for example the two angels of the composition Communion are presented in tzar?s attires that are real rarity for this period at all.
Same for the presentation of the architectural décor in the background of the two groups of apostles in the above mentioned composition-very rear phenomenon in the Byzantine painting.
In the frieze of the archbishops presented in busts, we recommend you to view the most significant depictions of the first Christian preacher in Ohrid area, St. Erazmo Lihnidski and the patron of the town, St. Clement Ohridski.
Because of the merits that he has in the Ohrid church, here is the image of the Ohrid archbishop Constantine Kabasila whom we also find in the churches: Small St.Vraci, Holy Mother of God Perivlepta (St. Clement) and St. Gjorgji-Staro Nagoricane.
Considering the style analysis undertaken with the latest research, this fresco-decoration belongs to the eighties of the 13th century.
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Skopje
