At a brief meeting in Davos with the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić, we jointly welcomed the decision of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) to recognize the autocephaly of the Macedonian Orthodox Church – Ohrid Archbishopric (MOC – OA), as a step in the right direction, wrote Macedonian President Stevo Pendarovski on social media.
Earlier, Pendarovski sent congratulations on the decision of the Assembly of the Serbian Orthodox Church to accept the autocephaly of the Macedonian Orthodox Church – Ohrid Archbishopric, noting that this is good news for all citizens of the country of Orthodox faith.
The decision of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Pendarovski said in the greeting card, will contribute to the correction of historical injustices and opens the possibility for new and unencumbered spiritual growth of the Ohrid Archbishopric.
“I believe that the whole process of recognizing the autocephaly of the Macedonian Orthodox Church – Ohrid Archbishopric will end with the imminent signing of Tomos by the Ecumenical Patriarch HH Bartholomew, which will contribute to the fulfillment of one of our national interests and progress and reconciliation in the Macedonian society,” reads President Pendarovski’s message.
Patriarch Porfirij after today’s service at a joint liturgy with the Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonia, HH Stefan in the Cathedral in Skopje, said that the Assembly of the Serbian Orthodox Church blesses and approves the autocephaly of the Macedonian Orthodox Church – Ohrid Archbishopric. He added that the Holy Assembly of the SOC gave the Synod the duty, in cooperation with Archbishop Stefan and his Synod, to work out technical-organizational details, which will be followed by the solemn proclamation of an official act.
