Serbian Patriarch and Archbishop of Ohrid hold a joint service

Patriarch Porfirije and Archbishop Stefan at the service. Photo: spc.rs

On the Feast of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos, Patriarch Porfirije and the Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonia, Stefan, held a joint service in the monastery of the village of Đunis, reports the Serbian Patriarchate's website.

The liturgy was led by Patriarch Porfirije, who addressed thousands of believers gathered in the church of the Monastery of the Protection of the Most Holy Theotokos after the Gospel reading: "Today we celebrate the Feast of the Most Holy Theotokos. She is a miracle of miracles. From Her miraculous conception to Her Dormition, everything is a miracle. In Her life, as in the life of each of us, miracles are the consequence and result not only of God's love, not only of His power, but also of our faith."

One of the concelebrating bishops, Metropolitan Arsenije of Niš, noted that this monastery was where the negotiations took place two and a half years ago to establish canonical and liturgical unity between the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Macedonian Orthodox Church – the Archdiocese of Ohrid.

Through mutual understanding, support, and respect, an agreement was reached, and it was decided to hold a joint liturgy to thank God and the Mother of God for their intercession and the long-awaited unity of Orthodox Christians in Serbia and Macedonia.

Patriarch Porfirije concluded his address by emphasizing that when Orthodox believers turn to the fullness of the Church, they do not need a translator, whether in Skopje, Macedonia, or elsewhere.
"If the word was clear and the heart open, then the love of the Lord and the Most Holy Theotokos is with us. We understood each other, we love our Lord and each other. We are at peace with one another, we are at peace with the Lord, and that is the most important thing!" said the Patriarch.

It is worth recalling that until 1967, the Macedonian Orthodox Church was under the jurisdiction of the Serbian Orthodox Church, after which it declared its autocephaly. The Serbian Orthodox Church did not recognize the autocephaly of the Macedonian Orthodox Church.

The Council of Bishops in 2005 excommunicated the faithful of the Macedonian Church from ecclesiastical communion. In May 2022, the Macedonian Orthodox Church – Archdiocese of Ohrid was accepted into Eucharistic communion by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and subsequently by the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Previously, the UOJ reported that the Synod of the Macedonian Orthodox Church – Archdiocese of Ohrid expressed support for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC).

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