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Announcement to public from the Session of the Holy Synod of the Macedonian Orthodox Church held in St. John the Baptist Bigorski Monastery ( 1.10.2009 )

The Holy Synod of the Macedonian Orthodox Church held its extraordinary session at the day of October the 1st, in the rooms of the Lower Palace of St. John the Baptist Bigorski Monastery in which the condition of the Upper Palace suffered in the fire has been examined.

The archpriests of the Macedonian Orthodox Church expressed their deep sorrow for the consequences of the recent fire, in which the Upper Palace, in which the chambers of the monks, as well as the monk’s and nun’s dining rooms and the Monastery library were placed, has been totally destroyed.

The whole Holy Synod, suffering in prayer, gave the full spiritual support to the Monastery brotherhood, to all faithful children of the Macedonian Orthodox Church – admirers of the Monastery and to the all good-willing people to find strength and accept this big misfortune with monk’s and Christian’s endurance.

The Holy Synod expressed their honest gratitude to the President of the Republic of Macedonia, Gr. George Ivanov, Minister of Culture Elisabeth Kanceska – Milevska, Minister of labor and Social Policy Mr. Xhelal Bayrami, and to the Managers of the State Headquarters for Cultural Inheritance Protection Mr. Pasko Kuzman, and the National Conservation Centre Mr. Behijudin Shehapy who had joined the Monastery Brotherhood right after the combustion, expressing their regret and readiness to take their presence in the renewing of St. John the Baptist Bigorski Monastery.

The Holy Synod also expressed their gratitude to all the members of the fire-brigade who made their superhuman efforts to defeat the enormous fire, which threatened to destroy the precious Monastery Church. Gratitude from the Synod went also to the address of the Mayors of Debar, Mavrovi Anovi and to all the good-willing people of the region, who, no matter of their national or religious affiliation jumped together with the Monastery Brotherhood to overcome the fire and offered their generous aid in the most difficult moments.

From this extraordinary Session, the Holy Synod of the Macedonian Orthodox Church sent their plea to the Government of the Republic of Macedonia and particularly to the Ministry of Culture and the State Headquarters for Cultural Inheritance Protection, in which competence is the Monastery Complex as a Cultural and Historical Monument, to intensify urgently the finishing of the construction of the Eastern Palace, where the monks should be placed for the coming winter. In the same time, the Synod appeal to all Orthodox believers and to all good-willing people in the country and in the Diaspora, to express their solidarity and humanity by materially and financially helping the renewing of St. John the Baptist Bigorski Monastery.

The Holy Synod of MOC accented the readiness of the Diocese’s Archpriests to take their full responsibility to participate actively in the reconstruction of the Monastery.

The Synod appeal to the representatives of all the mass-media in the country to give their personal instance and in such way assist in the renewing of this famous Monastery, one of our national heritage.

 

OFFICE OF THE HOLY SYNOD OF MOC