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Macedonian Orthodox Church

426 bytes added, 03:38, November 5, 2014
Dioceses in the territory of Republic of Macedonia: update list to reflect the splitting of one former diocese into two
==History==
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 OhridOchrid|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 SkopljeSkopje. 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.
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, which has yet to gain recognition from the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate]] or any other autocephalous church. The issue of dispute is the allegedly anti-[[canonical]] method used to gain autocephaly, the issue of the Serbian Orthodox minority (at least some 40,000 strong) and the question of some hundreds of Serbian Orthodox [[shrine]]s from the medieval Nemanjić period. It is also presumed that the name ''Macedonian'' is a matter of dispute regarding the [[Church of Greece]].
===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 Macedonians ''de facto'' independent status just short of canonical autocephaly. However, the agreement, signed by Metr. [[Jovan VI (VraniskovskiVraniškovski) of Ohrid|Jovan (Vraniskovski)]] from the Macedonian side, was rejected by the Macedonian government and the MOC's holy synod. In turn, the Serbian Orthodox Church granted full autonomy to the [[Autonomous Archdiocese of Ohrid|Archdiocese of Ohrid]], its embattled branch in the Republic of Macedonia, in late May 2005 and appointed Jovan as its archbishop.
The later chain of events turned into a vicious circle of mutual accusations and incidents involving the patriarchate and, partly, the Serbian government on one side, and the MOC, backed by the Macedonian government on the other. The Macedonian side regarded Jovan as a traitor and Serbian puppet. Jovan complained of a new state-backed media campaign against his church. "They are creating an unstable, explosive atmosphere among the population and are virtually inviting people to lynch us," 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 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 worship and launched a criminal case against him. He was arrested, removed from his bishopric and then expelled from the country. He returned in 2005 and, after attempting to perform a [[baptism]], he was arrested, 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 Serbian Orthodox Church in Macedonia was put in Jail]</ref>
==Organization==
Since 1999, the Macedonian Orthodox Church has been headed by Archbishop [[Stephen (Veljanovski) of Ohrid|Stefan of Ohrid ]] and Macedonia. He presides over the Holy Synod of Hierarchs of the MOC, consisting of himself, and nine [[metropolitan]]s and assistant [[bishop]]s.
The 13 10 dioceses of the MOC are governed by ten bishops, with around 500 active priests in about 500 [[parish]]es with over 2000 churches and [[monastery|monasteries]]. The church claims jurisdiction over about twenty 20 active monasteries, with more than 100 [[monk]]s.
===[[Diocese|Dioceses]]s of in the territory of Republic of Macedonia===#[[Diocese of Skopje]], headed by His Beatitude Archbishop Stefan of Ohrid and Macedonia;#[[Diocese of Polog Tetovo and Gostivar]], headed by Metropolitan [[Josif (Todorovski)(metropolitan)|Josif]];#[[Diocese of Kumanovoand Osogovo]], headed by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Kyril[[Joseph of Kumanovo and Osogovo|Josif]];#[[Diocese of Debar and Kičevo]], headed by the Most Reverend Metropolitan [[Timothy (metropolitan)|Timotej]];#[[Diocese of Prespa and Pelagonia]], headed by the Most Reverend Metropolitan [[Peter (metropolitan)|Petar]];#[[Diocese of Strumica]], headed by the Most Reverend Metropolitan [[Naum(metropolitan)|Naum]];#[[Diocese of Bregalnica]], headed by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Agathangel[[Hilarion (metropolitan)|Ilarion]];#[[Diocese of Povardarie]], administered headed by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Timotej[[Agathangelos (metropolitan), Povardarie|Agatangel]]
===Other diocesesDioceses abroad===Outside the country#[[Macedonian Orthodox Diocese of America and Canada|Diocese of America and Canada]], the MOC is pastorally active in six dioceses in the headed by His Eminence Metropolitan [[diasporaMethodius (Zlatanov) of Toronto|Metodij]], including #[[Macedonian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand|Diocese of Australia and New Zealand]]. <!-- when other dioceses are listed, pls put them into a similar list to the above-->administered by His Eminence Metropolitan [[Peter (Karevski) of Prespa|Petar]]#[[Macedonian Orthodox Diocese of Europe|Diocese of Europe]], headed by His Eminence Metropolitan Pimen of Europe
==References==
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