liturgija.mk
Hierarchs from four Local Orthodox Churches and a clergyman from a fifth gathered at the Monastery of St. Joachim of Osogovo to mark the feast of the 11th-century ascetic, whose relics draw pilgrims each August to the Diocese of Kumanovo and Osogovo of the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric.
On August 28, the eve of the feast, the monastery held a festive Vespers service led by His Eminence Metropolitan Yakov of Dorostol of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Also present were Metropolitan Visarion of Tulcea of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Grigorij of Kumanovo and Osogovo, and retired Metropolitan Josif, formerly of Kumanovo and Osogovo, reports Liturgija.mk.
On August 29, the feast day itself, the monastery hosted a solemn Divine Liturgy led by Metropolitan Visarion, concelebrating with Metropolitan Yakov, Bishop Ilarion of Novo Brdo of the Serbian Orthodox Church, who serves as a vicar bishop to Serbian Patriarch Porfirije, and several hierarchs of the Macedonian Orthodox Church: Metropolitan Ilarion of Bregalnica, Metropolitan Nikola of Australia and New Zealand, Metropolitan Grigorij of Kumanovo and Osogovo, and retired Metropolitan Josif. Fr. Nikola Kodeli of the Orthodox Church of Albania also concelebrated.
liturgija.mk
Representatives of local and national government attended alongside a large crowd of faithful who came to venerate the relics of St. Joachim of Osogovo and take part in the services.
During the Liturgy, Metropolitan Nikola delivered a homily to those gathered.
At the close of the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Visarion addressed the faithful. To mark the occasion, he presented the monastery with a blessing cross made in Romania.
The feast has become a recurring occasion for inter-Orthodox concelebration since the Macedonian Orthodox Church returned to canonical communion with the wider Orthodox world in 2022.
Follow OrthoChristian on Facebook, Twitter, Vkontakte, Telegram, WhatsApp, and MeWe!
