Macedonian and Serbian Archbishoprics in N. Macedonia to formally unite next week

Ohrid, North Macedonia, June 1, 2023

The Macedonian Orthodox Church received its tomos of autocephaly on June 5, 2022. Photo: spc.rs The Macedonian Orthodox Church received its tomos of autocephaly on June 5, 2022. Photo: spc.rs     

By decision of the Holy Synod of the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric and the Bishops’ Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Serbian Church’s Ohrid Archbishopric, which has operated on the territory of North Macedonia since 2002, will dissolve and merge with the Macedonian Church.

The Macedonian Church’s decades-long schism was healed in May 2022, and on June 5, it was formally granted autocephaly by the Serbian Church. The Serbian Ohrid Archbishopric, with four hierarchs, continued to exist and operate over the past year, but on Monday, the one-year anniversary of Macedonian autocephaly, it will formally unite with the Macedonian Church in a service at the Church of St. Sophia in Ohrid.

The anniversary falls on the feast of the Holy Spirit, the day after Pentecost.

According to the Macedonian outlet religija.mk, the service will be led by His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Church and His Beatitude Archbishop Stephan of the Macedonian Church.

The primates will be joined by one hierarch from the Serbian Ohrid Archbishopric and the three hierarchs of the Macedonian Church who are ceding part of their diocesan territories to accommodate the bishops joining them.

The festive event will be broadcast on Macedonian TV.

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6/1/2023

See also
Serbian structure in N. Macedonia dissolved, hierarchs integrated into autocephalous Macedonian Church Serbian structure in N. Macedonia dissolved, hierarchs integrated into autocephalous Macedonian Church Serbian structure in N. Macedonia dissolved, hierarchs integrated into autocephalous Macedonian Church Serbian structure in N. Macedonia dissolved, hierarchs integrated into autocephalous Macedonian Church
One of the main topics the hierarchs dealt with was the canonical status of the Serbian Church’s Ohrid Archdiocese, with its four hierarchs, which continued to exist in North Macedonia even after the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric returned to communion with the Church after decades of schism and was granted autocephalous status last year. Ancient monastery reconsecrated on island in North Macedonia Ancient monastery reconsecrated on island in North Macedonia Ancient monastery reconsecrated on island in North Macedonia Ancient monastery reconsecrated on island in North Macedonia
Despite the relative inaccessibility of the monastery, the festive day was attended by believers from Povardarie and all over Macedonia. Process of integrating Macedonian and Serbian Church structures in North Macedonia begins Process of integrating Macedonian and Serbian Church structures in North Macedonia begins Process of integrating Macedonian and Serbian Church structures in North Macedonia begins Process of integrating Macedonian and Serbian Church structures in North Macedonia begins
The process of integrating the Serbian Orthodox Church’s Ohrid Archbishopric into the autocephalous Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric began yesterday by vote of the Holy Synod of the MOC.

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