Sts. Clement and Naum of Ohrid

Joyous feast! Today we celebrate Saints Clement and Naum of Ohrid, disciples of the Holy Equals-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius who labored in western Macedonia in what today is the southwestern corner of independent Macedonia. The Saints initially labored in Moravia together with their fellow disciples of the Enlighteners of the Slavs, Sts. Gorazd, Sabbas, and Angelyar. When the competing German missionaries present in Moravia began banning the use of Slavonic in the Mass and other divine services and persecuting the Saints, however, they were scattered.

Several took refuge in the newly enlightened Bulgarian Empire, where they began the work of translating the divine services of the Byzantine Rite into Slavonic. St. Clement eventually settled in the western Macedonian city of Ohrid, where he organized his disciples and students into a renowned school. After his election as Bishop of Velitsa, possibly making him the first ethnic Slav to serve as a hierarch in the Church of Christ, St. Clement was succeeded at the school in Ohrid by St. Naum, who had until then taught in the school he had founded in Preslav.

After several years teaching in Ohrid St. Naum founded the Monastery of Sts. Michael and Gabriel near the city and retired there following its consecration by St. Clement in 905. St. Naum reposed in 910 and was buried in his monastery, which was later rededicated to his holy memory. In the early 900s St. Clement also established a monastery near Ohrid, that of St. Panteleimon, and continued his translation work, also becoming the first author of original works in the Slavonic language. After his falling asleep in 916 St. Clement's relics were likewise buried in the monastery he had founded.

More on Sts. Clement and Naum's lives can be found here and here. May their blessings and prayers be with us all!

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.

Bulgarian Court Refuses to Extradite Macedonian Archbishop

As the New Year begins the Court of Appeals in Sofia, Bulgaria, has issued a ruling refusing the request of the Macedonian government that Archbishop Jovan (Vranisovski) of Ohrid, first hierarch of the autonomous Macedonian Orthodox Church of the Pech Patriarchate, be extradited to Macedonia to be tried on trumped up charges brought against him because of his departure from the schismatic Macedonian Orthodox Church under Archbishop Stefan (Veljanovski) of Ohrid. More here.

St. Clement of Ohrid

Joyous feast! St. Clement is one of the great lights of Bulgaria and Macedonia and quite possibly one of the developers of the Cyrillic alphabet. More on his life can be found here. May his blessings and prayers be with us all!

Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid Arrested

Bulgarian border police have arrested Archbishop Jovan VI (Vraniskovski) of Ohrid of the Serbian Orthodox Church on the basis of a warrant issued by a Macedonian court against him. Since talks between the Serbian Orthodox Church and its schismatic daughter, the Macedonian Orthodox Church, in 2002 failed to bring about reconciliation Archbishop Jovan, formerly Metropolitan of Veles in the Macedonian Orthodox Church, has led the autonomous Orthodox Church of Macedonia under the Pech Patriarchate. His decision to return to the communion of world Orthodoxy has led to harassment by the Macedonian authorities and repeated imprisonment on groundless charges. The Orthodox Word's article on the autonomous Macedonian Orthodox Church and Archbishop Jovan can be found here.