Head of Phanar presents Macedonian Church with an act of canonical unity

Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople handed over the Patriarchal and Synodal Act on the Admission of the Church of Northern Macedonia into Liturgical and Canonical Unity to Archbishop Stefan of Ohrid and Macedonia. The presentation of the document took place on June 9, 2022, during the Vespers at the Balakliya Monastery in Istanbul. This was reported by the orthodoxianewsagency.

According to the source, the act of admission to canonical unity "was Phanar's response to the relevant request, which was addressed to them four years ago by the Synod of the MOC."

The Phanar announced that the Macedonian Church would henceforth be called the Ohrid Church, "meaning the area of its possession within the State of Northern Macedonia." At the same time, the Serbian Orthodox Church has the right to settle the administrative issues that exist between it and the Church in Northern Macedonia, "within the framework of the holy canonical order and church tradition."

It will be recalled that on June 5, 2022, Serbian Patriarch Porfirije issued a Tomos of Autocephaly to the Macedonian Church. However, Archbishop Stefan of Ohrid stated that he intended to seek autocephaly from Phanar.

According to the UOJ, during the meeting on June 8, 2022, Patriarch Bartholomew and the President of Montenegro exchanged views on all topical issues of mutual interest.

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