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Macedonian Orthodox Church

507 bytes removed, 03:03, January 9, 2013
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History: Updating link to Clement of Ochrid
{{cleanup}}[[Image:MOC logo.png|right]]History of the The '''Macedonian Orthodox Church ''' or '''MOC''' (in Macedonian: '''Македонска Православна Црква''' or '''МПЦ''') is a [[jurisdiction]] in the Republic of Macedonia which declares itself to be [[autocephaly|autocephalous]]. It separated from the [[Church of Serbia]] in 1967. Its self-proclaimed autocephaly is not officially recognized by other Orthodox churches, nor is it in communion with any of them.
==MACEDONIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH VIEWPOINTHistory==Formerly known as [[w:Vardar Banovina|Vardarska Banovina]] (Province of the river Vardar), in March 1945, the People's Republic of Macedonia was created, as one of republics of Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, governed by the Communist Party of Yugoslavia. In Skopje, a Resolution to create the Macedonian Orthodox Church was submitted to the Serbian patriarchate which had since 1919 exercised sole jurisdiction in the area. This resolution was rejected. During World War II there was also an initiative to create an Armenian-Macedonian Church in the territory of occupied Greece, but this plan was supported only by few ethnic Armenians and Aegean Macedonians in the zone of Kastoria. After the war another resolution, submitted in 1958, proposing the Ohrid Archdiocese of St. [[Clement of Ochrid|Clement]] as a Macedonian Orthodox Church, was accepted ([[June 17]], 1959) under strong pressure from the Communist authorities. Dositej Stojković, auxiliary bishop of the Serbian patriarch, left Belgrade and was proclaimed the first Metropolitan of Skoplje. In order to prevent schism, the Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church granted autonomy to three Dioceses in Macedonia. A Macedonian was consecrated bishop. But two of them soon consecrated new bishops who were without the proper qualifications. Soon Macedonians started to organize churches in diaspora without approval of the Patriarch and bishops who were responsible for the dioceses in diaspora. During the so-called Third Clergy and Laity Assembly on [[July 19]], 1967, in Ohrid, the Macedonian Orthodox Church was proclaimed as autocephalous with strong public support.
==Background to Since the breakup of Yugoslavia and the end of Communist repression of the Church, the Serbian patriarchate has been in conflict with the Macedonian Orthodox Church in Southeast Europe== According , which has yet to gain recognition from the sources in [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]] or any other autocephalous church. The issue of dispute is the Actsallegedly anti-[[canonical]] method used to gain autocephaly, Saint Paulthe issue of the Serbian Orthodox minority (at least some 40, Christ's disciple, began spreading Christianity in Macedonia 000 strong) and elsewhere on the Balkan Peninsula towards question of some hundreds of Serbian Orthodox [[shrine]]s from the mid 1st century AD. He visited this region on two occasions during his journeys through Europe and Asia. He was followed by Timothy and Silas, who remained in Macedonia after his departuremedieval Nemanjić period. At It is also presumed that time, as a Roman province Macedonia often changed its borders and its ethnic composition. As the name ''Macedonian'' is a result matter of dispute regarding the Christianization in the first three centuries, the Christians in Macedonia at the beginning [[Church of the 4th century already had an organised Church with an established ecclesiastical hierarchy, whose bishops regularly participated at the ecumenical councilsGreece]].
In ===Relations with the Autonomous Archdiocese of Ohrid===The two churches had been negotiating the details of a compromise agreement reached in Niš, Serbia in 2002, which would have given the 5th century Macedonians ''de facto'' independent status just short of canonical autocephaly. However, the Church had several metropolises and diocesesagreement, signed by Metr. The metropolises [[Jovan (Vraniskovski) of Thessalonica Ohrid|Jovan (Vraniskovski)]] from the Macedonian side, was rejected by the Macedonian government and Skopje were the most distinguished among themMOC's holy synod. Several Christian basilicas originate from this periodIn turn, including the one near Serbian Orthodox Church granted full autonomy to the village [[Autonomous Archdiocese of BardovciOhrid|Archdiocese of Ohrid]], its embattled branch in the western outskirts Republic of SkopjeMacedonia, in late May 2005 and appointed Jovan as its archbishop.
During the reign The later chain of events turned into a vicious circle of mutual accusations and incidents involving the emperor Justinian I (527-565)patriarchate and, partly, who came from the village of Tauresium in Serbian government on one side, and the Skopje regionMOC, backed by the Macedonian government on the other. The Macedonian side regarded Jovan as a traitor and Serbian puppet. Jovan complained of a new town was built near state-backed media campaign against his church. "They are creating an unstable, explosive atmosphere among the emperor's birthplacepopulation and are virtually inviting people to lynch us, named Justiniana Prima after him" he told Forum 18 News Service.<ref>[http://www.forum18.org/Archive. php?article_id=579 MACEDONIA: Why is state interfering in Orthodox dispute?]</ref> The Metropolitan government has denied registration of his church<ref>[http://www.forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=418 MACEDONIA: Serbian Orthodox "will never get registration"]</ref>, attacked its places of Skopje was appointed an autocephalous Archbishopworship and launched a criminal case against him. Cathellian He was arrested, removed from his bishopric and then expelled from the first Archbishop of the Archdiocese Justiniana Primacountry. The other archbishops were: BenenatHe returned in 2005 and, Paulafter attempting to perform a [[baptism]], John Ihe was arrested, Leon sentenced to 18 months in prison<ref>[http://www.iwpr.net/?p=bcr&s=f&o=257037&apc_state=henibcr200508 Church Rivalry Threatens to Brim Over]</ref> and jailed with "extremely limited visitation rights."<ref>[http://www.southeasteurope.org/subpage.php?sub_site=2&id=14827&head=hl&site=5 The head of the last one John IX, who Serbian Orthodox Church in 680-81 took part at the Trullo Council Macedonia was put in Constantinople.Jail]</ref>
==Conversion In September 2005 he was also accused of embezzlement of church funds at the time when he still was MOC clergyman. In turn, the patriarchate denied a Macedonian delegation access to the monastery of Prohor Pćinjski, which was the usual site of Macedonian celebration of the Slavs=national holiday of Ilinden (St. [[Elijah]]) on [[August 2]]).<ref>[http://www.lobi.com.mk/default-en.asp?ItemID=A24A3FEA12A7AF4795442CFA3295E658 Macedonian delegation is not going to Prohor Pcinjski]</ref> Macedonian border police often deny Serbian priests entry into the country in clerical garb.<ref>[http://www.hrw.org/wr2k/Eca-14.htm MACEDONIA: Human Rights Developments]</ref>
The Slav colonisation of Macedonia began in the 7th centuryOn [[March 19]], when the Slavs were assimilated with the native inhabitants. Their Christianization began in the 9th century with the life and work of the holy brothers2006, Saints Methodius and Cyrilfollowing a successful court appeal, who came from Thessalonica. They created the Cyrillic alphabet and translated the Holy Bible from the Greek as well as several other scriptures so that the church services could be held in the vernacular. Their mission Abp Jovan was continued by Saints Clement and Nahum of Ohrid at the end of 9th and released after spending 220 days in the beginning of the 10th centuryprison. Saint Clement founded the first University of the Slavs in this region, and Saint Nahum founded the first Slavic monastery on the shore of Lake Ohrid<ref>[http://freearchbishop. In the second half of the 10th century, within the borders of Samuel's state, the autocephalous Ohrid Archdiocese was established with the rank of patriarchate. After the fall of Samuel's state, the Ohrid Archdiocese was reduced to a lower rank of church hierarchy com/?p=46 Archbishop kyr kyr Jovan (archbishopricJohn) and it existed as such for eight centuries, until its abolishment in 1767 by the Turkish sultan Mustapha III, and its dioceses were annexed to the Patriarchate of Constantinople. From this moment on the Macedonian people made all possible efforts to restore the Archdiocese. Its dioceses were under several jurisdictions of the neighbouring Orthodox Churches and this struggle became particularly fierce in the second part of the 19th and the first part of the 20th century. Convenient conditions for restoration of the independence were created not earlier than during World War II (1941-1945). VI is released from prison]</ref>
==Foundation In August 2006, Abp Jovan was again convicted of embezzlement of MOC church funds and voluntarily surrendered himself to imprisonment after a short period in hiding. An appeal has been lodged on his behalf with the MOC==International Court of Justice at The Hague.
Right before the end of the war, in 1944, in the village of Gorno Vranovci, an Initiative Board Despite public appeals from both churches for Organisation of the Macedonian Orthodox Church was formed. In March, 1945, in Skopje"Christian brotherhood and unity, a Resolution " both sides have failed to restore the Archdiocese of Ohrid as Macedonian Orthodox Church was made at the First Clergy and Laity Assembly. This decision was submitted to the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church, since before World War II several dioceses in Macedonia were under the United Orthodox Church of Serbs, Croats and Slovenians, known later as Serbian Orthodox Church. The Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church did not accept this decision, which resulted in the following actions of the Initiative Board: instead of as an autocephalous, the Board insisted on the Church being recognised as autonomous. This request was also rejected. In 1958, the Second Clergy and Laity Assembly was held in Ohrid and the proposal for restoration of the Ohrid Archdiocese of Saint Clement as a Macedonian Orthodox Church was accepted and Dositheus was appointed settle the first archbishopdispute.
The Holy Synod of ==Organization== Since 1999, the Serbian Macedonian Orthodox Church agreed with has been headed by Archbishop [[Stephen (Veljanovski) of Ohrid|Stefan of Ohrid]] and Macedonia. He presides over the decisions Holy Synod of Hierarchs of the Macedonian Clergy and Laity Assembly in the resolution AS. No 47/1959 and 6/1959MOC, minutes 57 consisting of June 17/4himself, 1959and nine [[metropolitan]]s and assistant [[bishop]]s.
As a sign The 10 dioceses of agreementthe MOC are governed by ten bishops, a Liturgy was concelebrated with the Serbian Patriarch German, on July 19, 1959, in Skopje, around 500 active priests in the church of Saint Menas. At the same time, Clement was ordained the bishop of Prespa and Bitola. This meant that the Holy Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church gave autonomy to the Macedonian Orthodox Church, which remained in canonical unity about 500 [[parish]]es with the Serbian Church under their Patriarch. Few days later, in the church of St. Nicholas in Štip, H.E. Nahum was ordained the bishop of the diocese of Zletovo over 2000 churches and Strumica[[monastery|monasteries]]. The Holy Synod of the Macedonian Orthodox Church was established together with other administrative bodies in the Archdiocese and the dioceses in conformity with the Constitution of the Macedonian Orthodox Church. In May, 1962, accompanied by Patriarch German and other representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Alexis of Moscow visited the Macedonian Orthodox Church. Among them were Metropolitan Nicodemus, Bishop Pimen and other dignitaries of the Russian Orthodox Church. On the feast of Saints Methodius and Cyril, in the church of the Holy Mother of God Kamenskaclaims jurisdiction over about 20 active monasteries, in Ohrid, Patriarch Alexis of Moscow, Patriarch German and the Macedonian Metropolitan Dositheus concelebrated Holy Liturgy. It was the first Holy Liturgy to be concelebrated by the head of the Macedonian Orthodox Church with heads of other autocephalous Orthodox Churchesmore than 100 [[monk]]s.
In 1966 ===[[Diocese|Dioceses]] on the relations with the Serbian Church got worse again. Due to the conflicts territory of Republic of Macedonia===#Diocese of Skopje, headed by His Beatitude Archbishop Stefan of Ohrid and Macedonia#Diocese of Polog and misunderstandingsKumanovo, headed by the Holy Synod Most Reverend Metropolitan Kyril#Diocese of the Macedonian Orthodox Church summoned the Third Clergy Debar and Laity Assembly on July 17Kičevo, 1967, in Ohrid. At headed by the formal session in the Ohrid church Most Reverend Metropolitan Timotej#Diocese of St. ClementPrespa and Pelagonia, headed by the Holy Synod proclaimed the Macedonian Orthodox Church as AUTOCEPHALOUS. The act Most Reverend Metropolitan Petar#Diocese of proclamation was made Strumica, headed by the Holy Synod Most Reverend Metropolitan Naum#Diocese of Bregalnica, headed by the Macedonian Orthodox Church during the Holy Liturgy celebrated in the church of St. Clement Most Reverend Metropolitan Agathangel#Diocese of Ohrid on July 19, 1967Povardarie, or exactly on the second centennial after it had been banned administered by the Ottoman authorities.Most Reverend Metropolitan Timotej
The jurisdiction ===Dioceses abroad===#[[Macedonian Orthodox Diocese of America and Canada|Diocese of America and Canada]], headed by His Eminence Metropolitan [[Methodius (Zlatanov) of Toronto|Metodij]]#[[Macedonian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand|Diocese of Australia and New Zealand]], administered by His Eminence Metropolitan [[Peter (Karevski) of the Prespa|Petar]]#[[Macedonian Orthodox Church spreads not only throughout MacedoniaDiocese of Europe|Diocese of Europe]], but also in the church communities abroad.headed by His Eminence Metropolitan Pimen of Europe
According to Article 17 from the Proclamation of Autocephaly, the Macedonian Orthodox Church as an administrative part of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church is to observe the Holy Scriptures and the Holy tradition, the Canons of the Apostles and the decrees of the ecumenical councils and is to follow them and the Constitution of the Macedonian Orthodox Church.==References==<references />
Praying humbly for the other ones, the ==Source==*[http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Macedonian_Orthodox_Church&oldid=55478105 Wikipedia:Macedonian Orthodox Church will always rely on the prayers, blessings and assistance of the elder sibling holy local Orthodox Churches.]
www.mpc.org.==See also==*[[:mk:Главна_страница|Православна-енциклопедија Главна страница]]*[[w:Macedonia naming dispute]]
==Relations with other Orthodox ChurchesExternal links==*[http://www.mpc.org.mk Macedonian Orthodox Church], official siteSome mainstream *[http://www.svpetaripavle.org Macedonian Orthodox jurisdictions have isolated MOC Cathedral Sts Peter and completely cut off all relations with it. Some mainstream Orthodox metropolitans this centuryPaul-Crown Point, especially in the region of the New TerritoriesIN, have incited rioting against MOC, and earlier successfully demanded the sealing USA]*[http://www.stclementofohrid.com/ St. Clement of the borders and other economic sanctions against the FY Republic Ohrid Cathedral in Toronto]*[http://www.macedonianchurch.org/HistoryofMacedonianOrthodoxChurch.htm History of Macedonia. The Serbian Macedonian Orthodox Church, the mother Church of from MOC, has declared all MOC bishops schismatic and invalid, and has set up a parallel hierarchy within the FY Republic of Macedonia. The world's strongest Orthodox Church, the Church point of Russia, laments this unfortunate escalation of tensionsview]*[http://www.macedonianchurchOther mainstream org Macedonian Orthodox jurisdictions recognise Cathedral of the full validity Dormition of the sacraments in MOCVirgin Mary ("St. Mary") - Greater Columbus, Ohio, and admit MOC faithful to the sacraments within their own jurisdictions under the usual conditions applying to all Orthodox faithfulUSA]*[http://wwwSome mainstream Orthodox jurisdictions recognise the autonomy of MOC, but none recognise MOC as autocephalouspoa-infoThe generally accepted doctrine within mainstream Orthodoxy is all existing autocephalous churches have to agree that a particular Church should become autocephalous, before it can be generally recognised as autocephalousorg/frameset. Conversely the generally accepted doctrine concerning autonomy is that it is a matter for the mother Church to decide if a Church within its jurisdiction is autonomous, php?l=en&r=history Failed agreemment between SOC and the other autocephalous Churches should generally accept it without demur.MOC]
MOC suffers from the very poor economic circumstances of its homeland, and from the massive after effects of the communist repression. It is only just climbing out of the pit and distancing itself from its close ties with the previous ruling civil regime. Until matters settle down further in the Balkans, it is unlikely that any mainstream Orthodox bishop will serve liturgically with any MOC bishop. [http[Category://www.antiochian.org.au/content/view/415/21/Jurisdictions]==External links==
*[[Wikipediafr:Macedonian Orthodox Church|Macedonian Orthodox ChurchÉglise orthodoxe macédonienne]]

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