Macedonian Orthodox Church

	Macedonian Orthodox Church
	; File:MPC-grb.png
Independence	proclaimed 19671
Recognition	unrecognized by other Orthodox churches
Primate	Archbishop Stephen [1]
Headquarters	Skopje and Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia
Territory	Republic of Macedonia, North America, Australia
Possessions	Europe
Language	Church Slavonic and Macedonian
Population	1,500,000 (est)
Website	www.mpc.org.mk

¹The MOC claims continuity with historical

Bulgarian Archbishopric of Ohrid, an autonomous Eastern Orthodox Church under the tutelage of the Patriarch of Constantinople, which existed between 1019 and 1767, but the claims are not recognized by other Orthodox churches.

The Macedonian Orthodox Church or MOC (in Macedonian: Македонска Православна Црква or МПЦ) is an Eastern Orthodox Church in the Republic of Macedonia. The church is consisted of 10 dioceses (seven in the country and three abroad), 10 bishops and a number of priests. The Macedonian Orthodox Church celebrates its feasts according to the Julian calendar (old style) and services are held in Macedonian or in Old Church Slavonic language. The church declares itself to be autocephalous. It separated from the Serbian Orthodox Church in 1967. Its self-proclaimed autocephaly is not officially recognized by other Orthodox churches.

History

Lamentation of Christ (1164). Fresco from Nerezi near Skopje

Origins

In 1019 a Bulgarian Archbishopric of Ohrid was established within the borders of the former Bulgaria. In 1767 the Archbishopric was abolished by the Turkish authorities and annexed to the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Efforts were made in 19 and the first part of 20 century to restore the Archdiocese, and in 1870-74 it became part of the Bulgarian Exarchate until 1913. As Vardar Macedonia became part of Serbia after World War I, since 1918 and before the World War II several of the Bulgarian Exarchate's dioceses became part of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The Macedonian Orthodox Church claims to be the restored Ohrid Archbishopric, although these claims are not recognized by any other Orthodox Churches.

Renewal efforts of the Ohrid Archbishopric‎

Source: Nick Anastasovski, Victoria University [2].

The champion of the attempts to establish an independent Macedonian Church was Theodosius Gologanov, the Exarchate Metropolitan of Skopje. Goluganov was a Macedonian from the village of Trlis in the Nevrokop region, which is today in Bulgaria. He obtained his religious learning in the Patriarchist Monastary of St John the Baptist in the Seres district, being a monk from the age of fourteen until the founding of the Exarchate. Even though he was selected to be Metropolitan to the Skopje Eparchy by the Exarchate in 1878, he stayed in Constantinople until 1890 because the Ottoman authorities would not approve his position.(S. Dimevski, Metropolitan Theodosius Gologanov, Macedonian Revivalist, Skopje, 1977, p. 247.)

When his appointment was comfirmed, Gologanov vigorously promoted Macedonian ecclesiastical independence from the Exarchate. He recognized that the aims of the Bulgarian Exarchate conflicting with the interests of the Macedonian people. Between 1890 and 1891 he tried to change Exarchate religious and educational institutions by assigning like-minded Macedonians to positions of authority.(S. Dimevski (1965), op. cit. p. 150; Y. Belchovski, op. cit. p. 151.) Gologanov challenged the Ottoman authorities, promoting the case for the closure of Greek and Serbian schools as ‘there were no Greeks and Serbs, nor Bulgarians in Macedonia. The country was inhabited by Macedonians, who are ethnically distinct from the other three Balkan peoples’(S. Dimevski (1977), op. cit. p. 249.)

In a letter to Archimandrite Dionysius in Sofia, a Macedonian from Strumica who shared Gologanov’s views regarding the activities of the Exarchate. Gologanov articulated his views: "Its religious and educational activity here, in Macedonia, in fact carries out a most miserable task, it deprives a people of its name and replaces it with another name, it deprives them of their mother tongue and replaces it with another, alien one." (From a letter dated 22nd June 1891. H. Andonov-Poljanski, editor (1985), Documents on the Struggle…, op. cit. p. 315. The entire text of the letter appears on pages 314-317.)

On aspiration of the Balkan States he wrote:

We the Macedonians do not suffer as much by the Turks … as by the Greeks, the Bulgarians and the Serbs, who have set upon us like vultures upon a carcass in this tortured land and want to split it up.(Ibid, p. 315).

The main goal was the restoration of the Macedonian Archbishopric of Ohrid. It was advocated that: "We clergymen, Macedonians in origin, should unite and urge our people to awaken, throw off foreign authority, throw off even the Patriarchate and the Exarchate, and be spiritually unified under the wing of the Archbishopric of Ohrid, our only true Mother Church."(Ibid, p. 315.) Efforts were made to substitute Bulgarian with Macedonian in the schools and administration, as well as replacing Bulgarian textbooks with Macedonian. Gologanov engaged the vilayet authorities to support the founding of a printing press, which would see Macedonian language publications. This was met with ferocious hostility from the Bulgarian Exarch. Nevertheless, he did managed in having all official church forms, including birth and marriage certificates, reprinted in Macedonian without the name ‘Bulgarian Exarchate’ appearing. (Y. Belchovski, op. cit. pp. 151-152.)

The Balkan States were alarmed by the movement, and their ability to persuade Ottoman Governors. Complaints were filed with the Turkish government and the Exarchate protested against this provocative and separatist activities, ordering him to Constantinople immediately. Three such requests went ignored by Gologanov before the Exarchate contacted the Ottoman authorities requesting that they take him to Constantinople by force.

Seeking alliance with the Roman Catholic Church

The only way for recognizing nationality in the Ottoman Empire is through having a separate church. Establishing new churches were usually through pressure of foreign countries. Such was the example with the Bulgarian church that was founded with an ample help in form of Russian pressure, or the Vlach church as a result of Romanian political lobbying in Constantinople (H. Poulton, Who are the Macedonians? London, 1995, p. 62). However, there was no foreign country with a vested interest in supporting a separate Macedonian identity.

In an attempt to fight the great hostility from Balkan States, Gologanov turned to the Roman Catholic Church, looking for support of Pope Leo XIII in restoration of the Archbishopric of Ohrid and advocated the right of the Orthodox Macedonian people to be set free from the control of foreign churches – the Bulgarian Exarchate and Constantinople Patriarchate – and be unified in its own Orthodox Church, acquiring all the characteristic features of a people who have a right to independent spiritual and cultural life and education.(From a letter by Metropolitan Theodosius to Pope Leo XIII, dated 4 December 1891. (Archivio della S. Congregazione de Propaganda Fide – Roma: “Indice della Potenza” Marzo 1892-93, Somm XV, f. 132-141).

Gologanov’s letter to the Pope Leo summarized the unlawful abolishment of the Archbishopric of Ohrid in 1767, and requested its restoration in canonical unity with the Roman Catholic Church. Gologanov emphasized that the attributes of the Orthodox religion should be respected and asked assurances in relation this.

He outlined six conditions for getting into an union with the Catholic church:

The Archbishopric of Ohrid to be restored in canonical unity with the Roman Catholic church, with the immediate blessing of the Pope.
That Theodosius should be head (Archbishop) of the restored Archbishopric of Ohrid.
Officials of the high clergy should be Macedonians, appointed by Theodosius.
The borders of the Archbishopric of Ohrid to be conformed with the borders of Macedonia.
Present Uniate eparchies to be included under the jurisdiction of the Archbishopric of Ohrid; and,
New Catholic missionaries should not to be sent, and those already in Macedonia should not interfere in the internal church and educational life of the Archbishopric.

(H. Andonov-Poljanski, editor, Documents on the Struggle of the Macedonian People for Independence and a Nation-State, Vol I, Skopje, 1985, pp. 318-319.)

The request provoked great interest in the Catholic Church and in certain political circles. Bishop Augusto Bonetti, head of the Lazarist mission in Constantinople, travelled to Macedonia, meeting with Metropolitan Gologanov in Skopje where they discussed the restoration of the Archbishopric of Ohrid under the patronage of the Roman Catholic Church. In Skopje, Bonetti came in contact with the Austrian Consul Schumuker, who was also enthusiastic about the possibility of transfer to union with the Catholic Church:

The consul indicated that Metropolitan Theodosius was in a very difficult position, persecuted for his nationalist activity not only by the Bulgarian Exarchate but also by the Greek Patriarchate. The three Balkan governments, those of Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, also stood against him … According to the opinion of the Consul of Austria – Hungary, there should be prompt action in making a decision, since any delay may be fatal for Metropolitan Theodosius. My personal opinion (Bonetti) is that Metropolitan Theodosius is undertaking this action quite sincerely and that there are objective preconditions that he will be followed by the whole flock of Macedonia. (Ibid, p. 321. Letter from Bonetti to the responsible Cardinal in Rome on the talks with Gologanov (dated 4 December 1891).

With great urgency, Bishop Bonetti notified the College of Cardinals (Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith) in Rome, urging that Gologanov’s request be supported. In the meantime the Ottoman government intervened, ordering his removal under guard to Constantinople where the Exarchate had prepared an indictment against him. Gologanov was banished to a Sofia monastery until his death in 1926.

Aftermath

Protests were sent to the Exarchate by the Ohrid, Seres, Solun, Nevrokop, Shtip, Strumica, Enidzhe Vardar and other eparchies throughout Macedonia condemning the Exarchate for the removal of Metropolitan Gologanov.(S. Dimovski (1977), op. cit. p. 251.) . The elimination of Gologanov in 1892 was an enormous setback to the Macedonian movement, and to ambitions for the restoration of the mother church and the foundations for a future Macedonian state. (In a letter dated 12 March 1892 to ‘The Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith’, Bonetti wrote that had the Catholic church ‘acted more effectively’ there would have been a successful outcome to the matter. Describing the revolt in Macedonia, at the ousting of Gologanov, Bonetti stated, ‘my suggestion is based upon confirmed reports from Macedonia, where the congregation of the Skopje eparchy, as well as the whole of Macedonia, reacted strongly against the replacement of Metropolitann Gologanov and declared that they were ready to pass into union with our Holy church’. H. Andonov-Poljanski, pp. 328-329.)

Struggle for autocephaly

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 1944, in Skopje, a Resolution of Archdiocese of Ohrid restoration as Macedonian Orthodox Church was submitted to the Serbian Orthodox Church who had since 1919 been the sole titulary. This resolution was rejected, but a later one, submitted in 1958, proposing the Ohrid Archdiocese of Saint Clement as a Macedonian Orthodox Church was accepted (June 17, 1959) under strong pressure from the Communist authorities. Dositheus was appointed the first archbishop. The Macedonian Orthodox Church at that time only held autonomous status.

Serbian Orthodox Church agreed with these decisions in the resolution AS. No 47/1959 and 6/1959, minutes 57 of June 17/4, 1959. That agreement was celebrated in a common liturgy by the Macedonian priests and the Serbian Patriarch German in 1959 in Skopje, as a sign that Serbian church recognizes an autonomy of the Macedonian church. In 1962 Serbian Patriarch German and Russian Patriarch Alexis visited the Macedonian Orthodox Church. On the feast of Saints Methodius and Cyril in Ohrid two patriarchs and the Macedonian Metropolitan Dositej concelebrated Holy Liturgy as the first liturgy of the head of the Macedonian church with heads of other Orthodox churches.

During the Third Clergy and Laity Assembly on July 19, 1967, in Ohrid, the Macedonian Orthodox Church was self-proclaimed as autocephalous, which was the official public will of the people in the Socialist Republic of Macedonia.

Many Orthodox Churches admit the faithful of the Macedonian Orthodox Church to communion. The hierarchy of some Churches serve with the priests of MOC, but will not serve liturgically with the hierarchy of MOC. Some also recognise the need for MOC clergy to be able to serve with hierarchs from outside MOC, and to provide an open channel for the resolution of various pastoral problems MOC clergy cannot resolve within MOC. ^{[citation needed]}

Relations with the Serbian Orthodox Church

Since the breakup of Yugoslavia and the end of Communist repression of the Church, the Serbian Orthodox Church has been in conflict with the Macedonian Orthodox Church, which has yet to gain recognition from the Patriarchate of Constantinople or any other autocephalous church. The issue of dispute is the method used to gain autocephaly, the issue of the Serb Orthodox minority (according to the last census, there are 40,000 citizens of the country declared as Serbs) and the question of some hundreds of Serb Orthodox shrines from the medieval Nemanjić period.

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 Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid (secular name Zoran Vraniškovski) from the Macedonian side, was rejected by the Macedonian government and the Holy Synod of MOC, and archbishop Jovan was called off. In turn, the Serbian Orthodox Church granted full autonomy to the Archbishopric 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 SOC and, partly, Serbian government on one side, and 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 [3]. The government has denied registration of his Church [4], 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 [5] and jailed [6] with "extremely limited visitation rights" [7]. On March 19th, 2006, after spending 220 days in prison, archbishop Jovan was released [8].

Also, a much greater impact for the decision of Jovan's arrest made his financial malversations, that is, his inappropriate usage of the church fund. In September 2005 he was also accused of embezzlement of church funds at the time when he still was MOC clergyman.

In turn, SOC denied Macedonian delegation access to the monastery of Prohor Pčinjski, which was the usual site of Macedonian celebration of the national holiday of Ilinden uprising (St. Elijah), August 2 [9]. Macedonian border police often denied Serbian priests entry into the country in clerical garb [10].

Despite public appeals from both churches for "Christian brotherhood and unity", both sides did little to settle the dispute.

Organization

As of 2005, the Macedonian Orthodox Church is headed by Archbishop Stephen of Ohrid and Macedonia. He presides over the Holy Synod of Hierarchs of the MOC, consisting of 9 metropolitans and titular bishops.

Dioceses on the territory of Republic of Macedonia:

Diocese of Skopje, headed by His Beatitude Archbishop Stephen of Ohrid and Macedonia;
Diocese of Polog and Kumanovo, headed by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Cyril;
Diocese of Debar and Kičevo, headed by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Timothy;
Diocese of Prespa and Pelagonia, the administrator is the Most Reverend Metropolitan Peter;
Diocese of Strumica, headed by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Naum;
Diocese of Bregalnica, headed by the Most Reverend Metropolitan Agathangel;
Diocese of Povardarie, the administrator is the Most Reverend Metropolitan Timothy

Outside the country, the MOC is pastorally active in 6 dioceses in the diaspora. The 13 dioceses of the MOC are governed by ten Episcopes, with around 500 active priests in about 500 parishes with over 2000 churches and monasteries. The church claims jurisdiction of about twenty living monasteries, with more than 100 monks.