Macedonian Orthodox Church – Ohrid Archbishopric: We carry out our spiritual and pastoral mission on our canonical territory

The Holy Archiepiscopal Synod of the Macedonian Orthodox Church – Ohrid Archbishopric (MOC-OA) issued a response to the statement by Serbian president Aleksandar Vučić, who said in Mrkonjic Grad: "The Serbian Church is the same in Mrkonjic Grad and in Pirot and in Melbourne and in Skopje."

In the statement the Synod confirms the Church's position and emphasizes that "MOC-OA is a 'legitimate bearer of the grace-filled fullness of the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church'", and that it is the heir of Justiniana Prima and of the renewed Ohrid Archbishopric.

Key messages from the Synod

The Synod points out that MOC-OA carries out its spiritual and pastoral mission toward all Orthodox Christians within its canonical territory, without any conditionality based on their national, political, cultural or ethnic affiliation. That role, the statement says, is part of the Church's historical obligation toward the spiritual life of the Macedonian people.

The statement adds that the Church remains "open to all" with the aim of uniting the faithful in the unity of faith and Eucharistic communion and of overcoming all transient political, ideological and social divisions.

The Synod reminds that "the Gospel of Christ, the faith in the Resurrection and the welfare of the entrusted souls are the primary and sole guide in the actions of MOC-OA" and openly rejects "all political, ideological worlds or platforms, wherever they come from."

With its reaction the Synod placed its emphasis on the Church's canonical jurisdiction and on its impartial spiritual mission, as a response to the remarks made in Mrkonjic Grad and to the repeated directives that link church structures in several cities.

Photo: Dragan Mitreski