Archbishop Stefan marks 40th episcopal anniversary in Skopje

Their Beatitude, Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonia Stefan celebrated a festive Divine Liturgy today in the Cathedral Church “St. Clement of Ohrid” in Skopje on the occasion of the Day of all Macedonian Saints, with numerous faithful from Skopje and other towns present.

The liturgy was concelebrated by several hierarchs of the Macedonian Orthodox Church – Archbishop Stefan served together with Their Eminences, the Metropolitans: Prespa and Pelagonia Petar, Strumica Naum, Povardarie Agatangel, Europe Pimen, Bregalnica Ilarion, Tetovo–Gostivar Josif, Kumanovo–Osogovo Grigorij and Debar–Kichevo Georgij; and with Their Graces the Bishops: Deljadrovsko–Ilinden Joakim and Delchevsko–Kamenichki, while Bishop of Herakleia Kliment participated in prayer.

40 years of episcopal ministry

By holding this liturgical celebration attended by a large number of believers, the Church also marked the 40th anniversary of Archbishop Stefan’s episcopal ministry.

Archbishop Stefan was tonsured on 3 July 1986 at the Monastery “Saint Naum of Ohrid” in Ohrid and was consecrated as a bishop on 12 July 1986 in the Church “St. Demetrius” in Skopje as Metropolitan of Zletovo–Strumica; after the division of the diocese he was named Metropolitan of the Bregalnica Diocese, with the seat in Shtip.

In the years that followed he lectured at the Orthodox Theological Faculty, served as editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Church Life”, and held the posts of rector of the Macedonian Orthodox Theological Seminary – Skopje from 1991 to 1999 and spokesman of the Holy Synod.

At the Church–People’s Assembly held on 9 October 1999 in the Cathedral of the ancient Ohrid Archbishopric “Holy Sophia” in Ohrid he was elected, and on 10 October 1999 he was enthroned as the fifth Primate of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, since when he has served as Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonia and of First Justiniana, and concurrently as the ruling hierarch of the Skopje Orthodox Diocese.

In his address to the faithful, Archbishop Stefan underlined the significance of all Macedonian saints and their contribution to the building of the Church, while placing the emphasis on “the church that each of us builds within ourselves.”

Among non-clerical guests, Olivera Trajkovska, head of the Commission for Relations with Religious Communities and Religious Groups, attended the celebratory liturgy; no other government or opposition representatives were present.

Photo: press material from the event