23/08/2026
“St. Sophia,” the church that was once the cathedral church of the Archbishopric of Ohrid and held immense religious significance for the region for centuries, was particularly highlighted by UNESCO in 1980 as one of Ohrid’s remarkable churches, with its frescoes recognized as outstanding examples of Byzantine art.
Built in the 11th century, the church was renovated and decorated with frescoes during the time of Archbishop Leo of Ohrid, around 1037–1056. It is believed to have been built on the foundations of an earlier sacred structure. Its frescoes are its greatest treasure. The church preserves frescoes dating from the 11th to the 14th centuries, making it an exceptionally important monument of Byzantine art.
In the altar area, there is a gallery of portraits depicting patriarchs, archbishops, and bishops from major Christian centers such as Constantinople, Antioch, and Jerusalem. However, what perhaps makes the church particularly fascinating is the fresco depicting six Roman popes.
The fresco dates from the 11th century, specifically from around 1035–1056. The six popes are depicted in the diaconicon, within the altar area of the church. So far, four of them have been identified: Clement, Gregory, Sylvester, and Leo.
The fresco also carries significant historical and political meaning. It was created before the Great Schism of 1054, when the formal split between the Roman and Constantinopolitan Churches took place. The frescoes demonstrate that, at the time they were painted, Rome and Constantinople were still represented as parts of a single Christian ecclesiastical community, despite the serious disagreements that had already emerged between them.
Finally, to conclude this brief story, the church contains some of the earliest surviving Byzantine depictions of Saints Cyril and Clement. This is particularly significant because it demonstrates how early local Slavic saints were given an important place in monumental religious art.
