Another recognition of the “autocephaly” of the Ohrid Archdiocese has taken place in recent days.
The Holy Synod of the Church of the Czech Republic and Slovakia decided last week to recognize the “autocephaly” of the “Orthodox Church of North Macedonia”.
After the unexpected recognition of the “autocephaly” granted by the Patriarchate of Serbia to the Church of North Macedonia by the Patriarchate of Romania a few days ago, the Church of the Czech Republic and Slovakia also recognizes the uncanonical move of the Patriarchate of Serbia regarding the status of the Church of the Balkan country.
According to a statement, the Holy Synod of the Church of the Czech Republic and Slovakia “was informed about the letters of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew regarding the restoration of Eucharistic communion with the dioceses of North Macedonia, as well as the letters of the Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia about the reintegration of the Church in North Macedonia, into the canonical structure of the Orthodox Church of Serbia and for the granting of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in North Macedonia with the Patriarchal and Synod Tomos on May 20, 2022”.
In the announcement of the Holy Synod of the Church of the Czech Republic, there is no reference to the Church of North Macedonia as “Ohrid Archbishopric”.
Once again we see a Church questioning the exclusive right of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to grant autocephaly, as well as the decision of the Holy and Sacred Synod which excluded the use of the term “Macedonian” and its derivatives for the name of the Church of the Balkan State.
It is recalled that the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate announced on May 9 that it accepts the hierarchy, the clergy, and the people of this Church (Archdiocese of Ohrid) under Archbishop Stefan in Eucharistic communion”.
He clarified that it is left to the Church of Serbia to regulate the administrative issues between it and the Church in North Macedonia while making it clear that it excludes the term “Macedonian” and any other derivative of the word “Macedonia”, and recognizes the name of the Church as “Ohrid”.
