15.06.2016

Today it is a double feast and a double joy for the canonical Church in our homeland, the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric.

The first feast is the celebration of the saint of Lichnida, St Erasmus of Ohrid, whose relics are kept in the Stavropegic monastery of St John Chrysostom in Nizepole, Bitola, and the other occasion for celebration and hope is today’s departure of His Beatitude Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje to take part in the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church, to be held in Crete.

On that occasion, in the mentioned monastery a Holy Liturgy was served on which His Eminence Bishop David of Stobi and Administrator of Strumica presided, in the praying presence of His Beatitude Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje and their Eminences Bishop Joakim of Polog and Kumanovo and Administrator of Debar and Kicevo and Bishop Marko of Bregalnica and Administrator of Bitola, who came for a farewell meeting with Archbishop Jovan before his departure to the Holy and Great Council.

After the Liturgy, under the presidency of Archbishop Jovan, a meeting of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric was held.

After the meeting, the Bishops greeted His Beatitude Archbishop Jovan, not hiding the immeasurable joy that after many centuries a prelate will represent our local Church, from our homeland, on the upcoming Holy and Great Orthodox Council in Crete.

That Council is the first one that takes place after whole 1229 years, although in the meantime other councils were held, which have not yet been recognized as Ecumenical Councils.

From the territory of our homeland, until now, the following Bishops have taken part in the Ecumenical Councils: Quintil of Heraclion (Bitola) on the Fourth Ecumenical Council, Nicolas of Stobi on the Fourth Ecumenical Council, Benin of Heraclion (Bitola) on the Fifth Ecumenical Council, representing also the Metropolitan of Thessaloniki (Salonica), Fokas of Stobi on the Fifth Ecumenical Council and Jovan of Stobi on the Sixth Ecumenical Council.

On the upcoming Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church, that will be held after so many centuries, His Beatitude Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje will be taking part.