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The Orthodox '''[[Archdiocese]] of Ohrid''' (Macedonian: Православна Охридска Архиепископија) is an [[autonomy|autonomous]] Orthodox church whose [[primate]] is confirmed by the [[Church of Serbia]]. It was established in 2002 when [[Metropolitan]] Jovan of Veles and Povardarje, part of the canonically unrecognized [[Macedonian Orthodox Church]], accepted the Niš agreement. <ref> The '''Draft Agreement On Reestablishment Of Church Unity ("Nis Agreement")''' was signed in Nis, on [[May 17]], 2002.</ref>
On [[May 24]], 2005, during the Feast of Ss. [[Cyril and Methodius]], the [[Holy Synod|Holy Assembly]] of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church granted autonomy to the archdiocese.
The Archdiocese of Ohrid is in full [[communion]] with all other Orthodox churches.
The current Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje is [[Jovan VI (Vraniskovski) of Ohrid|Jovan (Vraniškovski)]].
==Holy Synod of bishops==
[[Image:Synod of Archbishopric of Ohrid.jpg|left|thumb|200px|The Holy Synod of Bishops of the autonomous Ohrid Archbishopric with the Patriarch Paul of Serbia, 2004]]
The Holy Synod of bishops was constituted on December 23, 2003 in the monastery "Saint John Chrysostom". The current members of the Synod are:
* [[Jovan VI (Vraniskovski) of Ohrid |Jovan VI (Vraniškovski)]], Archbishop of Ohrid and [[Metropolitan]] of Skopje
* Joakim, Bishop of Polog and Kumanovo and ''[[locum tenens]]'' of Debar and Kicevo
In the same manner, illegally and without a court order, the monks of four monasteries, were expelled from their monasteries, i.e. homes, in January 2004, immediately after joining the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric.
[[Image:Destroyed temple Monastery Chrysostomos.jpg|left|thumb|400px|The destruction of the church in the monastery "Saint John Chrysostom"]]
A fifth monastery, in the village Nizepole, was broken into by armed and masked men, who not finding the Archbishop Jovan they were after, harassed and threatened the nuns with machine-guns, cut their hair and set the monastery on fire, in February 2004. The police refused to investigate the case.
The declaratively secular state legalized its identification with a specific religious community – the [[Schism]]atic Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC), through the Parliament’s "Declaration for support of the autocephaly of the MOC" reached on [[January 23]], 2004;
The Church in the "Saint John Chrysostom" monastery was demolished by the state authorities in October 2004.
[[Jovan VI (Vraniskovski) of Ohrid|Archbishop Jovan]] was sentenced to 18 months of prison in June 2005 for "Instigation of ethnic, racial and religious hatred, discord and intolerance". The verdict stated the conviction relied on these three points:
# he wrote a text in a religious calendar in which he slanders the Macedonian Orthodox Church# he agreed to be appointed as an Exarch of the Ohrid Archbishopric in Macedoina, # he Macedonia and participated in the ordination of the bishops Joachim and Marko and
# he officiated at a religious service in an apartment owned by his parents.
===Reactions of the Orthodox churches===
[[Image:Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Archbishop of Ohrid Jovan.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Liturgy, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Archbishop of Ohrid Jovan]]
====Ecumenical Patriarchate====
[[Church of Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarch]] [[Bartholomew I (Archontonis) of Constantinople|Bartholomew I]] sent a letter to the Prime Minister of FYROM requesting immediate release of Archbishop Jovan [http://www.ec-patr.org/docdisplay.php?lang=gr&id=549&tla=gr][http://www.ec-patr.org/docdisplay.php?lang=gr&id=549&tla=en]
====Forum 18====
[http://forum18.org Forum 18] reports that '''New Religion Law perpetuates discrimination''' [http://forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1107]
==References==
<div class><references/></div>
==Sources==
* [http://forum18.org/Archive.php?query=&religion=all&country=50&results=50 Forum 18]
* [http://mhc.org.mk Helsinki Committee for Human Rights]
* [http://www.poa-info.org/history/schism/67.html The Orthodox Word]
==See also==
[http://www.pravmir.ru/article_1203.html Православие и мир - Современные гонения на православных в Македонии]
[[Category:Jurisdictions]]
[[Category:Orthodoxy in Macedonia]]
[[fr:Archevêché d'Okhrid (Patriarcat de Serbie)]]
