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.

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.

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.

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.

Bulgaria Fails to Extradite Macedonian Archbishop

The Bulgarian authorities have yet to confirm whether they will extradite Archbishop Jovan VI (Vranisovski) of Ohrid of the Serbian Orthodox Church to Macedonia for trial on trumped up charges. More here.

Macedonian Archbishop Remains in Bulgaria

Despite pressure from the Serbian Orthodox Church, Bulgarian authorities continue to prepare the extradition of Archbishop Jovan (Vranishovski) of Ohrid to Macedonia. In the meantime Archbishop Jovan is under house arrest in a monastery near Sofia. More here.

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.