Montenegrin Orthodox Metropolitan Visits Macedonia

Metropolitan Amphilochius (Radovic) of Cetinje, leader of the Orthodox Church in Montenegro, has undertaken a three-day visit to Macedonia and the Serbian Orthodox Church's autonomous Archdiocese of Ohrid there. While in Macedonia Metropolitan Amphilochius met with the bishops of the autonomous Macedonian Orthodox Church, visited some of its monasteries and parishes, and discussed the situation of Archbishop John VI (Vraniskovski) of Ohrid, who has been imprisoned for the sixth time by the Macedonian authorities. More in Serbian here.

Macedonian Orthodox Archbishop Arrested

The Serbian Orthodox Church is reporting that Archbishop Jovan VI (Vraniskovski) of Ohrid, head of the autonomous Macedonian Orthodox Church, has been arrested upon attempting to enter his native Macedonia from Greece. It is expected that Archbishop Jovan will request a retrial for the false accusations brought against him in Macedonia in absentia during 2010. In the meantime he has been imprisoned in the Macedonian capital, Skopje. More here.

Macedonia Refuses to Prosecute War Crimes Cases

The Macedonian Parliament has decided not to prosecute four war crimes cases dating from the past conflict between the Macedonian central government and largely Albanian areas in the northwest of the country. One of the four cases shelved by Parliament involves the kidnapping, torture, and murder of ethnic Macedonians by members of the Albanian-backed National Liberation Army. The cases are being overlooked in an effort at national reconciliation between the country's Macedonians and Albanians. More here.

New Skopje Church Relocated

Plans to build a large Macedonian Orthodox church on the central square in Skopje as part of the Macedonian capital's ongoing renovation have been changed in response to Albanian Muslim demands that a mosque also be built on the square. Although the church will not be built on the Skopje's central square it will be built at another location in the center of the city. More here.

Macedonian Orthodox Priests to Pay Taxes

The Macedonian government and the independent Macedonian Orthodox Church have reached an agreement on the taxation of clergy ending the exemption of priests from paying taxes. More here.

Serbian, Macedonian Presidents Meet in Montenegro

At a meeting in Montenegro the presidents of Serbia and Macedonia have expressed their satisfaction over the development of relations between the two former member republics of Yugoslavia as well as their hope that the Serbian and Macedonian Orthodox Churches would overcome their schism, which both presidents recognized as beign their responsibility, not that of the Serbian or Macedonian governments. More here.

US President Calls for Wider Religious Freedom in Macedonia

US President Barack Obama has called on President Gjorge Ivanov of Macedonia to do more to safeguard the religious freedoms of all Macedonians, noting in particular the discrimination against the autonomous Macedonian Orthodox Church under Archbishop Jovan (Vraniskovski) of Ohrid and the Macedonian government's refusal to allow it to register as a religious organization. More (in Macedonian) here.

Metropolitan Cyril of Vidin

Joyous feast! Today is the 97th anniversary of the repose of Metropolitan Cyril (Stoichkov) of Vidin of blessed memory, who served in the newly restored Bulgarian Orthodox Church in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Born in what is now northwestern Bulgaria, as a young man Metropolitan Cyril became a monk at the Chiprovtsi Monastery of St. John of Rila and while there was tonsured a monk and ordained to the deaconate. At age 26 the Monastery sent the young Hierodeacon Cyril to the theological seminary in Sremski Karlovci maintained by the Orthodox Church of Austria-Hungary.

While in Austria-Hungary the future metropolitan became involved in the general movement amongst Bulgarians towards the restoration of autocephaly and the replacement of the many Greek-speaking hierarchs in Ottoman Bulgaria with Bulgarians. Consequently, after completing his studies and returning to Bulgaria the Metropolitan of Vidin, a Greek, reported Fr. Dn. Cyril to the Ottoman authorities, who arrested him and eventually exiled him to central Anatolia for his nationalism.

After 3 years of exile Fr. Dn. Cyril was released and assigned to a parish in the northeastern Wallachian city of Tulcea (now in Romania), where he was ordained a priest and eventually raised to the rank of archimandrite and assigned a parish in the city of Silistra (on the border of modern day Bulgaria and Romania).

When the Bulgarian Orthodox Church regained its autocephaly as an exarchate Fr. Cyril was actively involved in its local and national life, serving first in Silistra and then in Vidin and Skopje, where he was eventually elected Metropolitan of Skopje in 1875. When the Russo-Turkish War began Metropolitan Cyril was forced into internal exile, eventually in 1891 being elected Metropolitan of Vidin in northwestern Bulgaria.

Metropolitan Cyril was distinguished in his service as Metropolitan of Vidin for his work in improving the life of both his parishes and his clergy and became especially known for his strict standards for his clergy. Nationally he was a key figure in the development of the educational work of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, playing a particularly important role in helping to finance the construction of the compound of the theological seminary in Sofia.

The last years of Metropolitan Cyril's life were spent in seclusion and prayer. He eventually reposed on 21 May (old style), 1914, in Vidin and was buried on the grounds of the diocesan Cathedral of St. Demetrius the Great-Martyr. More (in Bulgarian) on Metropolitan Cyril's life can be found here. May his memory be eternal!

Russian Orthodox Professor Visits Macedonia

Deacon Andrei Kuraev, a professor at the Russian Orthodox Church's Moscow Theological Academy, has begun a visit to Macedonia to lecture on Orthodoxy and the modern world in Skopje. Prior to his lectures Fr. Dn. Andrei met with Archbishop Stefan (Veljanovski) of Ohrid, first hierarch of the independent Macedonian Orthodox Church. More (in Macedonian) here.

Macedonian Archbishop Meets with Russian Ambassador

Archbishop Stefan (Veljanovski) of the independent Macedonian Orthodox Church has met with the Russian ambassador to Macedonia. The topics of their discussions have not been published. More (in Macedonian) here.

Macedonian Orthodox Holy Synod Calls for Peace as Elections Approach

At the close of its recent meeting the Holy Synod of the independent Macedonian Orthodox Church called on its faithful and all the citizens of free Macedonia to display "worthy inter-ethnic and inter-religious respect and understanding" as the country prepares for upcoming parliamentary elections. More (in Macedonian) here.

Patriarch Bartholomew Visits Kavala

Patriarch Bartholomew (Arhondonis) of Constantinople has begun his pastoral visit to Kavala, a city in Greek-occupied southeastern Macedonia that falls under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Metropolitans Chrysostomos of Myra and Jeremiah of Geneva are accompanying Patriarch Bartholomew on his visit to northern Greece, during which he will meet with metropolitans from Greek-occupied Macedonia and Greece proper as well as local officials. More (in Greek) here.

Macedonia Edges Closer to EU Membership

Macedonia has inched closer to joining the European Union, though certain issues (corruption amongst them) and Greece's inability to deal with the fact that there is more to Macedonia than the southern districts it has occupied since the Balkan Wars still stand in the way to full membership. More here.

Supreme Court Upholds Ruling Against Macedonian Orthodox Archbishop

The Macedonian Supreme Court has upheld a ruling against Archbishop Jovan (Vraniskovski) of Ohrid of the autonomous Macedonian Orthodox Church, confirming his two and a half year sentence. The case will be appealed to the European Court of Human Rights. More here.

Holocaust Memorial in Skopje

This past Thursday a Holocaust memorial was inaugurated in Skopje, the capital of independent Macedonia. More here.

Albanians, Turks Boycott Macedonian Census?

Albanian and Turkish citizens of Macedonia appear to be boycotting the government's recruitment efforts for its upcoming national census. More here.

Macedonian Orthodox Holy Synod Calls for an End to Skopje Violence

At its meeting this week the Holy Synod of the independent Macedonian Orthodox Church has called for an end to conflict between the Macedonian and Albanian residents of the country over the construction of a church and museum in the Skopje Fortress, pointing out that the authorities responsible for the construction did not obtain the blessing of the Archbishop of Ohrid, who serves as Metropolitan of Skopje, and thus are not building a church for the use of the Macedonian Orthodox faithful. More here.

Rioters Charged in Skopje

The Macedonian government has filed criminal charges against 60 people involved in the riot over church construction at the Skopje Fortress. More here.

Clashes Over New Church in Skopje

Eight were injured yesterday in clashes between Macedonians and Albanians in Skopje over the planned construction of a church and museum on the site of the Skopje Fortress. The site is in a predominantly Albanian district of the Macedonian capital and since the construction plans were announced the district's Albanian residents have been demanding that a mosque also be included in the new complex. The Macedonian government has so far refused the plans as the new church is being built on the foundations of a preexisting 14th century church and the fortress was never home to a mosque. More here.

Interview with Archbishop Stefan of Ohrid

Archbishop Stefan (Veljanovski) of Ohrid of the independent Macedonian Orthodox Church has granted an interview about the renewal of monasticism and the spiritual life of the faithful in Macedonia that can be found here.