Macedonian Orthodox Delegation Makes Historic Visit to Valaam Monastery

Hierarchs of the Macedonian Church visit Valaam Monastery. Photo: DECR - Moscow Patriarchate

VALAAM — At the invitation of His Holiness Pat. Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, a delegation of the Macedonian Orthodox Church–Ohrid Archbishopric visited the Valaam Monastery from Oct. 15–18. The delegation included Met. Peter of Prespa and Pelagonia, Bsp. Nicholas of Velicha, and Hieromonk Athanasios (Arsosski).

As shared by the Department of External Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, upon arrival, the hierarchs prayed before the monastery’s holy relics in the Transfiguration Cathedral and met warmly with the abbot, Bsp. Pankraty of the Holy Trinity. They also served a memorial litany at the grave of Archimandrite Methodius (Petrov), a beloved monk of Valaam and native of North Macedonia.

On Oct. 16, Met. Peter concelebrated the Synodal Hierarchal Liturgy at the Church of Ss. Cyril and Methodius together with Bsps. Pankraty and Nicholas. The service commemorated Archimandrite Methodius — whom Patriarch Kirill once called “Macedonia’s ambassador to Russia” — whose life’s dream was the recognition of his Church’s autocephaly.

Bsp. Pankraty said this marked a historic day in his homily, noting that it was the first time the Macedonian Church had celebrated the Divine Liturgy and received Communion on Valaam. He added that they remember the monks who once came from Valaam to Macedonia, and that they thank God for this renewed spiritual bond.

During their visit, the Macedonian delegation toured the monastery’s sketes, including the Smolensk, Resurrection, and Gethsemane sketes, as well as the monastery’s farm complex, before concluding their pilgrimage in St. Petersburg.

Previously, UOJ reported that His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon, primate of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), concelebrated the Divine Liturgy with His Beatitude Archbishop Stefan of the Macedonian Orthodox Church–Ohrid Archbishopric, formally marking the recognition of the newest autocephalous Orthodox Church by the OCA.

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