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==Life==
[[Image:21 Century Confessor.jpg|left|thumb|200px|Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid - a 21st Century Confessor]]
He was born on [[February 28]], 1966, in Bitola, Yugoslavia, and [[baptism|baptized]] as an Orthodox Christian named Zoran. He completed his primary school and mathematical high school in his native town, receiving many awards for achievements in the fields of science and sports. In 1985, after having served his military obligation in Sarajevo, he began studies at the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Skopje, graduating in 1990.
Later in 1990, he enrolled the Faculty of Theology in Belgrade while working as a civil engineer with the Metropolitanate of Bitola. While employed by the [[metropolis]], he established its library in collaboration with the local University Library of Bitola, while serving also as the new library's first librarian. During his two and half years in this position the young Zoran gave a series of lectures.
In 1993, he left Bitola for Belgrade to continue his studies in theology, graduating in June 1995. Immediately, he began his master's studies at the Department of Systematic Theology (Dogmatics). At the end of 1995, he moved to Thessalonica in Greece to learn Greek and enroll for postgraduate studies. In [[Thessalonica]], he worked on his doctorate and a dissertation entitled: ''The Unity of the Church and the Contemporary Ecclesiological Problem''.
On [[February 7]], 1998, he took [[monasticism|monastic]] vows, was tonsured a [[monk]] with the name Jovan (John), and was [[ordination|ordained]] a [[deacon]]. The following day, [[February 8]], he was ordained to the [[priest]]hood, becoming a [[hieromonk]]. On [[July 19]], 1998, Fr. John was [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] a [[bishop]] with the title of Bishop of Dremvica and assigned as [[auxiliary bishop|vicar]] to the Bishop of Prespa and Pelagonia. In this position, and in addition to taking part in theological consultations, Bp. John led the effort for reconstruction of the Cathedral Church of St. Great Martyr Demetrius in Bitola. In March 2000, he was assigned as administrator of the Metropolitanate of Bregalnica. In November 2000, Bp. John was elected Bishop of Veles and Vardar Valley and enthroned on [[December 4]], 2000.
==Testimonies for the faith==
[[Image:Archbishop Jovan arrested.jpg|right|thumb|200px|Archbishop Jovan under arrest]]
Since joining the canonical orthodox church, the persecution began, initially with the illegal expelling from his residence. He is persecued by the state, FYRO Macedonia, was imprisoned several times, and Amnesty International declared him ''a prisoner of conscience''[http://amnesty.org/en/library/asset/EUR05/001/2006/en/28018728-d44a-11dd-8743-d305bea2b2c7/eur050012006en.html].
While in prison, he was not allowed visitors, apart from his closest family - his parents and his sister. [http://www.southeasteurope.org/subpage.php?sub_site=2&id=14827&head=hl&site=5]
Also, he was not allowed to take communion in the prison, the priests who came with the Sacraments were not allowed to meet him.
===Detentions===
===First Imprisonment===
The Court of Appeal in Bitola sentenced him to eighteen months of imprisonment in 2005 as judgment for a criminal offense of "incitement of ethnic and religious hatred, discord and intolerance." The verdict stated the conviction relied on these three points[http://poa-info.org/archbishop/testimonies/verdict_racial_hatred.html]: # 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.
He was imprisoned on [[July 26]], 2005 and served 220 days in prison before the Constitutional court declared the last two of these three points to be unconstitutional and his sentence was shortened to 8 months.
He was sentenced for the second time, on charges raised by the [[schism]]atic [[Macedonian Orthodox Church]] for "Embezzlement" of a donation of 57.000 Euro - money he never touched nor used and which was timely handed over to the court of first instance in Veles, in the first moment when this was requested by the donor, who later testified before the court that Archbishop Jovan is innocent. Based on the donor's testimony the Archbishop was twice liberated, and the third time, after a severe political pressure, he was sentenced to imprisonment.
As a second defendant he was sentenced to a higher prison term (2 years) than the first defendand defendant (who was sentenced 1 year and 3 months) in 2006.
He was imprisoned on [[August 8]], 2006 and served 256 days before being released.
The orthodox churches reacted upon the imprisonment of Archbishop Jovan and appealed for his release.
* [[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]
* The Patriarch of [[Church of Russia|Russia]] [[Alexei II (Ridiger) of Moscow|Alexei II]] sent a letter to the President of FYROM demanding immediate release of the Archbishop Jovan [http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/37153.html]
* Holy [[Synod]] Of Hierarchs Of The [[Church of Greece]] expressed a severe protest for an emergent release of Archbishop Jovan from prison, and for respect of religious freedom in FYROM [http://www.ecclesia.gr/greeknews/default.asp?id=892]
* The Holy Community of the [[Athos|Holy Mount Athos]] sent a letter of support to the Archbishop Jovan, signed by all Representatives and Abbots who are in the common Assembly of the twenty Holy Monasteries of the Holy Mount Athos [http://www.poa-info.org/archbishop/correspondence/atos19022004.html]
* [[SCOBA]] Condemned the Imprisonment of Archbishop Jovan by FYROM and asked for his release [http://www.scoba.us/articles/2005-08-11-condemns-jovan-release.html]
* Holy [[SynodHerman (Swaiko) of Washington and New York|Metropolitan Herman]] Of Hierarchs Of The of [[Church of GreeceOCA]] expressed a severe protest called for an emergent release of Archbishop Jovan from prison, and for respect of religious freedom in FYROM Ohrid [http://www.ecclesiaoca.grorg/greeknews/defaultNews.asp?idID=1118&SID=89219]* The Patriarch ==Release from Prison==On February 2, 2015, in compliance with the ruling of the Skopje Court, Archbishop Jovan (Vraniskovski) of Ohrid, a hierarch of the [[Serbian Orthodox Church of Russia]] , was released from the Idrizovo prison.<ref name=DECR2015>''[[Alexei II https://mospat.ru/en/2015/02/03/news115108/ ARCHBISHOP JOVAN (RidigerVRANISKOVSKY) OF OHRID RELEASED FROM PRISON].'' The Russian Orthodox Church Department for External Church Relations. 03.02.2015 12:11.</ref> His situation and physical condition were considered at the fraternal meeting between His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow]] sent a letter to and All Russia and His Holiness Patriarch Irenaeus of Serbia on November 15, 2014, in Belgrade. On December 20, 2014, with the President blessing of FYROM demanding immediate release His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and His Holiness Patriarch Irenaeus, the chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, visited Skopje and met with Archbishop Jovan [http://www.patriarchiaOn the same day, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk met in Skopje with the Republic of Macedonia’s state leaders – President G Ivanov and Prime Minister N. Gruevski. Metropolitan Hilarion also met with Archbishop Stephan, head of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, who is outside of communion with the world Orthodoxy at present.ru<ref name=DECR2015/db/text> The release of Archbishop Jovan is hailed in the Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches with gratitude to God.<ref name=DECR2015/37153.html]>
==Books==
*''A Short History of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric'' (Ohrid, 2007)
*''The Freedom in the Prison'' (Skopje, 2007)) ==Studies and Articles==* Ecclesiological Heresis of the Schismatical Organization in R. Macedonia* Contribution of the Church in the Prisons* Theological and Historical Aspects of the Church Schism in R. Macedonia and its Overcoming* The Educational Character of Orthodox Christianity* Theology and Ecology* The Theology of St. Theophylact of Ohrid in His Commentaries on the Gospel of Matthew* The Holy Relics - A Seal of a Sanctified Life* Baptism and Chrismation* The One and Many Through an Ecclesiological Aspect* The Crisis is to Unite the Christians* A Witness* A Verdict for the Communism* The Church is One* Autonomy or Autocephaly ==References== <div><references/></div>
==Sources==
*[http://www.poa-info.org/archbishop Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje, Kyr Kyr John VI]*[http://freearchbishop.com Free FreeArchbishop.com]* [http://www.poa-info.org/history/schism/67.html Article in 'The Orthodox Word' periodical]* The Holy Assembly of Bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church. ''[http://www.romfea.gr/romfea-english/12566-in-english-serbian-jovan Serbian Orthodox Church expressed its protest and condemned the imprisonment of ArchbishopJovan].'' Belgrade, May 16th, 2012. (Romfea.gr).* Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of North and Central America. ''[http://assemblyofbishops.org/news/2011/archbishop-jovan-release Assembly of Bishops Condemns Imprisonment of Archbishop Jovan by FYROM and Asks for His Release].'' December 27, 2011, New York. ==External Links==[http://www.pravmir.ru/article_1203.html Православие и мир - Современные гонения на православных в Македонии]
[[Category:Bishops]]
[[Category:20th-21st-century bishops]]
[[Category:Orthodoxy in Macedonia]]
