Macedonian Church hierarch serves in Greece for first time since its autocephaly

Thessaloniki, July 20, 2022

Photo: bigorski.org.mk Photo: bigorski.org.mk     

A joyous event occurred this weekend, when for the first time since its return to canonicity and its elevation to autocephalous status, a hierarch of the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric celebrated the Divine Liturgy in Greece.

His Grace Bishop Partenij of Atanije, abbot of the famous Bigorsky Monastery, was invited to serve by Archimandrite Ambrose of the Panagouda Church in Thessaloniki. Bp. Partenij had long desired to serve in the church, which is home to a wonderworking icon of the Theotokos, the monastery reports.

Photo: bigorski.org.mk Photo: bigorski.org.mk     

The ordained brethren of Bigorsky already concelebrated the Liturgy with their abbot and Fr. Ambrose. The service was attended by local Greek and North Macedonian faithful, as well as nuns from the Monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos in Kichevska, North Macedonia.

The Liturgy was sung in both Greek and Macedonian.

Following the service, Fr. Ambrose gave a homily emphasizing that the Gospel is above nationalism, meant for all peoples. “After all, for the Orthodox testimony in the world, the basic factor of unity of the ever-expanding Church is the common glorification of the living God, although plural in appearance, but one in the Spirit, because this is the basic ecclesiological meaning of Pentecost,” he preached.

Photo: bigorski.org.mk Photo: bigorski.org.mk     

In return, Bp. Partenij thanked Fr. Ambrose for the chance to serve in his church before the wonderworking icon, and glorified God that the celebration occurred on the feast of Sts. Cyril and Methodius and their disciples on the new calendar, as used by the Greek Church.

At the end of his address, Bp. Partenij presented Fr. Ambrose with an archimandrite’s cross made in memory of the 1,000th anniversary of the founding of Bigorsky Monastery.

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7/20/2022

See also
Greek Synod objects to name and territory of Macedonian Orthodox Church Greek Synod objects to name and territory of Macedonian Orthodox Church Greek Synod objects to name and territory of Macedonian Orthodox Church Greek Synod objects to name and territory of Macedonian Orthodox Church
The Permanent Holy Synod of the Church of Greece welcomes the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s decision to recognize the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric as canonical, but has “serious objections and reservations” about the Serbian Church’s decision to grant it autocephaly. Athonite and Bulgarian abbots visit Macedonian Church’s Bigorsky Monastery Athonite and Bulgarian abbots visit Macedonian Church’s Bigorsky Monastery Athonite and Bulgarian abbots visit Macedonian Church’s Bigorsky Monastery Athonite and Bulgarian abbots visit Macedonian Church’s Bigorsky Monastery
Abbots and monastic delegations from Mt. Athos and Bulgaria visited one of the most important monasteries of the newly-recognized Macedonian Orthodox Church over the weekend. Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid: Serbian-Macedonian Church reunion is the greatest spiritual joy Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid: Serbian-Macedonian Church reunion is the greatest spiritual joy Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid: Serbian-Macedonian Church reunion is the greatest spiritual joy Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid: Serbian-Macedonian Church reunion is the greatest spiritual joy
Yesterday’s reconciliation Liturgy between the primates and hierarchs of the Serbian and Macedonian Churches was a great event of the highest joy, His Eminence Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid exclaimed in his words to the gathered faithful.
Comments
Georgios7/21/2022 3:30 pm
Excuse me but this article is dispicable calling this Slav a Macedonian in Greee, a country where 1,5m persons are the real Macedonians the Greek Macedonians. They are Slavs, we are Macedonians ,as they admitted in Prespa Agreement that they have nothing to do who the real ancient greek macedonian heritage and according also to this agreement in Greece the word "Macedonian" has a totally different meaning and they cannot use it, nor you in reference to Greece, meaning them! Nor did he do that. Thessaloniki is the capital of Macedonia, a place that they have nothing to do with, naming them Macedonians in a macedonian place, actually the capital of Macedonia is totally not only historically promblematic and irritating but also provokative and unfair. As for the archimandrite, he invite them just to be nice and to mentioned by Fanar, in both their homilies they didn't mentioned the serbian patriarchate once, something that's uncanonical and unhistorical. The Slav Mario Hristovsky is saying lies of course, because in any reference to Greece the word "Macedonian" etc has only greek and not any slavic reference and they cannot use as a reference to themselves in Greece or in any relation with anything greek. They are Slavs, they have nothing to do with Macedons or even geographically with Macedonia, helping them to spread ufology is totally antichristian action.
Mario Hristovski 7/20/2022 6:26 pm
Wonderful article, and all glory to God! Just a quick correction—Per the name change of the Prespa Agreement the country is simply North Macedonia or N. Macedonia, while the people, language, and culture remain “Macedonian”. Any references to the state, and to the state alone, should be [insert gov institution] of North Macedonia. “North Macedonian” should never be used in any scenario, as it is very insulting to Macedonians. I know you did not mean any harm in the article, so just wanted to fill you in on the changes stemming from the Prespa Agreement. God bless!
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