Talks between Macedonian, Bulgarian Orthodox churches should continue: church official


The Holy Synod of the Macedonian Orthodox Church – Ohrid Archbishopric (MOC-OA) has accepted a report on talks under way between church committees of the MOC and the Bulgarian Orthodox Church (BOC) and has decided that talks between the church committees can continue, Metropolitan Timothy said Tuesday.

The spokesman of the MOC Holy Synod spoke to members of the media after today’s session at which bishops addresses several current issues in the interest of the Macedonian Orthodox Church.

The MOC Holy Synod, he said, among other things has upheld its firm stances, thus calling on all state stakeholders and institutions to protect the Constitution of Macedonia, not to change the constitutional name of Macedonia, not to change the constitutional status of Macedonian language, to maintain the unitary character of the Republic of Macedonia and not to allow concessions over the Macedonian national identity.

In line with this stance of the MOC Holy Synod, we fully support the rights of the remaining ethnic communities in Macedonia according to its Constitution, said Metropolitan Timothy.

“Our main objective is to ensure autocephality. It is the primary goal of the Macedonian Orthodox Church,” he stressed.

The Macedonian and Bulgarian churches are expected to continue their talks this coming January.