The Macedonian Orthodox Church
The Ohrid Archbishopric, restored to communion in 2022.
The Macedonian Orthodox Church — Ohrid Archbishopric is the Orthodox Church of North Macedonia, with its seat in Skopje and its historic root in the ancient Archbishopric of Ohrid founded in the era of St Clement and St Naum, disciples of Ss Cyril and Methodius.
From Ohrid to Skopje
Ohrid was one of the great centres of Slavic Christianity: St Clement of Ohrid taught there in the ninth century and the Ohrid literary school shaped Slavonic letters. The Archbishopric was abolished by the Ottomans in 1767 and its territory absorbed into the Patriarchate of Constantinople, later the Serbian Church.
Canonical status
The Church declared autocephaly unilaterally in 1967 and spent decades outside communion. In May 2022 the Ecumenical Patriarchate recognised it as the Archbishopric of Ohrid, and the Serbian Patriarchate granted autocephaly the same year; concelebration with the other Orthodox Churches resumed, and the name question is settled in ecclesiastical usage as 'Ohrid Archbishopric'.
Calendar and practice
- The Julian (Old) Calendar is used for fixed feasts, so Christmas is kept on January 7 civil.
- Pascha follows the common Orthodox paschalion.
- The family Slava is kept, as among Serbs and Bulgarians.
- Liturgy is served in Church Slavonic and Macedonian, with English in diaspora parishes.
Macedonian parishes in Australia
Australia has one of the largest Macedonian Orthodox diasporas in the world, concentrated in Melbourne, Geelong, Wollongong, Sydney and Perth, organised in the Macedonian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand.
Frequently asked
- Is the Macedonian Orthodox Church canonical?
- Yes. Communion was restored in May 2022 by the Ecumenical Patriarchate and autocephaly was granted by the Serbian Orthodox Church the same year.
- What calendar does it follow?
- The Julian calendar for fixed feasts, with Pascha on the common Orthodox date.