Announcement
(
25.06.2009
)
The Holy Hierarch’s Synod of the Macedonian Orthodox Church organised its regular conference at the days of 24th and 25th of June, 2009. All members of the Synod were present to this session, and beside the vast number of current issues of the Church’s life, they have discussed and accepted the annual diocese’s reports of the heads of particular dioceses.
The Synod of MOC paid a particular attention to the public announcement of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and especially to the statements of the Bishop of Bachka, Irenaeus, in which the possibility of the continuing of the dialogue between the Macedonian and the Serbian Orthodox Church has been noted. The Holy Synod of MOC is ready to reply with a precise proposal to the determination of continuation the dialogue.
According to the character of the international conventions and declarations of human rights, the right of self-determination and expressing the identity is inviolable and as such never depends on the genetic or any biological restrictions or conditions. Just for that reason, the Holy Synod solemnly considers that any discussion on that matter in order to cause partitions, divisions or whatsoever concerning whether we are from an antic, Slav or any other origin is condemned as superfluous. We are Macedonians.
The continuation and consistency of the Christian culture and identity in this areas is more than evident, since the time of Holy apostle Paul, continuing to Saint Clement from Ohrid – called Saint Paul the Second by the Heads of the ancient Ohrid Diocese and till recent times it’s a historical and relevant fact. All the constitutional elements that edifice the being of Macedonian people are built and transferred in the Christianity, in order to be incorporated in a real Christian identity, which is so far characteristic for what we are now.
The Holy Synod one more time is expressing the regret for the Religion Science has been expelled from the educational system in the country, and gives fully support to the Ministry of Education to establish the school subject “Ethics of the Different Religions” as a subject of good will choice in the regular education.
The Holy Synod of the MOC expresses their reserve and condemns all the violent acts directed in the solution of the issue of building the church on Macedonia Square in the centre of Skopje, and announce their honest concern about the creation of a public opinion of resistance of rebuilding of the St. Constantine and Elena in the city centre, reminding us all that all that is close to us we locate in the centre of accomplishments – but never on the margins of our life form.
In the soon encounter of the great jubilee – 1.100 years anniversary from the death of Saint Nahum from Ohrid, Macedonian Orthodox Church is going to organise an international scientific symposium about the life and deed of the great Saint Nahum.
The Office of the Holy Archpriest Synod of MOC
