Skopje, May 22, 2024
Photo: YouTube
The demands of the Patriarchate of Constantinople on the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric are unacceptable says the Church’s primate.
Though the MOC-OA received a tomos of autocephaly from its Mother Church of the Serbian Patriarchate in Macedonian Church receives tomos of autocephaly from Serbian Church“Today, by the grace of God, we have the opportunity to ratify what already exists between us, this unity that was once disturbed,” Pat. Porfirije stressed.
“>June 2022, its independence has not been recognized by all Local Churches, including the Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Church of Greece, both of which have specifically pointed to the Church’s name—“Macedonian”—as a problem, as Macedonia is also the name of a region in Greece. Constantinople also expects the MOC to sacrifice its multiple diaspora dioceses.
There is a view among certain Hellenophone Churches and certain other hierarchs that true autocephaly can only be granted by Constantinople.
Asked yesterday by a reporter from Televizija Star when the MOC will receive a tomos from Constantinople, the primate, His Beatitude Archbishop Stefan of Ohrid and Macedonia, said no one knows, so the MOC continues to build relations with other Local Churches in the meantime (see below).
“If they give us the tomos, we’ll accept it, but the conditions that are being set are unacceptable for us,” the Archbishop said, namely, “renouncing the name ‘Macedonian Orthodox Church,’ relinquishing the Macedonian diaspora, and recognizing the Ukrainian church that is recognized by Constantinople.”
“We have our own name; it belongs to us and no one else, and therefore no one should ask us to renounce our name, which is the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric, hence containing two names,” he said.
“When other Orthodox nations relinquish their diasporas, then we’ll also consider ours, but that question will be difficult to resolve or answer positively in response to the request of the Ecumenical Patriarchate,” he concluded.
Abp. Stefan said Greek Churches can call us “Ohrid,” but we will call ourselves “Macedonian”—MOC primateDespite the joy of a previously schismatic Church of millions of people returning to the fold of the Orthodox Church, the issue of the Church’s name often takes center stage.
“>in an interview in 2022 that Greek-speaking Churches are welcome to refer to them as the Ohrid Archbishopric if they want, but the MOC will continue to refer to itself by its full name of the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric.
Several other MOC hierarchs have expressed the same conviction as Abp. Stefan in recent statements, including Metropolitans Macedonian bishop explains: Constantinople doesn’t recognize MOC as autocephalous because of its stance towards Ukrainian schismatics“The ‘Orthodox Church of Ukraine’ is a non-canonical church. They were ordained without grace,” Met. Timotej explained.
“>Timotej of Debar and Kičevo, Macedonian Church received autocephaly “without conditions, pressure, concessions, hidden interests,” says Macedonian hierarch in fiery defense of MOC-OA name and statusThe Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric (MOC-OA) has full and complete autocephaly, and does not need to change its name in order to receive a new tomos from the Patriarchate of Constantinople, an elder bishop of the MOC-OA writes in a new statement.”>Agathangel of Povardarie, and Constantinople’s conditions are unacceptable for the Macedonian Church—Metropolitan of PrespaAnother hierarch of the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric is speaking out about the issue of his Church’s autocephaly.”>Petar of Prespa and Pelagonia.
For its part, the Macedonian Holy Synod Macedonian-Ohrid Church issues statement on its name and autocephalyThe hierarchs of the Synod gathered in a regular session yesterday, February 21. Among the topics discussed was the Church’s relations with other Local Churches.
“>announced in February 2023 that it will continue to defend and uphold both its autocephalous status and its name.
***
Overall, the autocephaly of the Macedonian Church is recognized by the Churches of Russian Church officially recognizes autocephaly of Macedonian ChurchAs a sign of this recognition, the name of the MOC primate His Eminence Archbishop Stephan of Ohrid will be inscribed in the sacred diptychs.
“>Russia, Polish Church officially recognizes Macedonian Orthodox ChurchThe Council of Bishops of the Polish Orthodox Church gathered in Warsaw on Tuesday under the chairmanship of His Beatitude Metropolitan Sawa of Warsaw and All Poland, with the participation of every bishop of the Polish Church.”>Poland, Primate of Macedonian Orthodox Church added to diptychs of Ukrainian Orthodox ChurchThe UOC thus recognizes the MOC as both canonical and autocephalous.”>Ukraine, Bulgarian Church recognizes autocephaly of Macedonian Church, but without title “Ohrid”Another Local Church has recognized not only the canonicity of the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric (MOC) but also its autocephalous status, as granted it by the Serbian Orthodox Church.”>Bulgaria, and Romanian Church recognizes Macedonian-Ohrid autocephaly (updated)The autocephaly of the Macdonian CHurch is now recognized by the Churches of Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Bulgaria, and Romania, in addition to the Serbian Church.”>Romania, in addition to the Serbian Church that granted it.
Meanwhile, the Churches of Constantinople enters into communion with Macedonian ChurchAccording to the new statement, Constantinople accepts the hierarchy, clergy, and laity of the MOC into communion under the name of “Ohrid,” thus “healing the wound of schism.”
“>Constantinople, Greek Synod objects to name and territory of Macedonian Orthodox ChurchThe 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.”>Greece, Antiochian Synod officially recognizes Macedonian Orthodox ChurchThe Antiochian Orthodox Church is the latest Local Church to officially recognize and enter into communion with the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric.”>Antioch, Georgian Church enters into communion with Macedonian ChurchThe Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church resolved to enter into communion with the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric at its session on Tuesday.”>Georgia, and Albanian Church enters into communion with Macedonian-Ohrid ChurchFebruary has been a momentous month for the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric, as the Holy Synods of no less than four Local Churches have resolved to enter into communion with it.”>Albania recognize the Macedonian Church as canonical but not autocephalous.
MOC hierarchs and clergy have also concelebrated with hierarchs and clergy from the Macedonian concelebrations with Jerusalem, Romanian, Bulgarian, Russian, Serbian, Greek, Ukrainian Churches in Holy Land (+VIDEO)The Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric continues its journey towards full acceptance in the Orthodox world after it recently received a tomos of autocephaly from the Serbian Orthodox Church.
“>Churches of Jerusalem and and the Orthodox Church in America, though their Synods haven’t formally addressed the issue.
Thus far, there have been no Synodal decisions from or concelebrations with hierarchs or clergy of the Churches of Alexandria and Cyprus.
Follow OrthoChristian on Twitter, Vkontakte, Telegram, WhatsApp, MeWe, and Gab!