Heads of Serbian and Macedonian Churches celebrate a joint Liturgy

The Primates of the Serbian and Macedonian Orthodox Churches celebrated a joint Liturgy on 29 August 2023 on the Feast of St. Joachim of Osogovo, reports religija.mk.

The Divine Liturgy was celebrated at the St. Joachim Monastery near Kriva Palanka in northeastern Macedonia. His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Church and His Beatitude Archbishop Stefan of the Macedonian Church were also joined by other Serbian and Macedonian hierarchs, as well as His Grace Bishop Jacob of Dorostol of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, and Protopresbyter Nelutsu Oprea of the Romanian Metochion in Sofia.

Archbishop Stefan said, "Today's meeting is an example that in the Church there is no distinction between peoples because the Lord is one for all."

The Serbian Patriarch called on everyone to unite and said that opposition to communion and unity can be defeated by prayer and fasting.

"We must not only know this but also apply it in life. There is no better place for this than this holy place near St Joachim of Osogovo, where prayers have been offered for centuries," the Patriarch said.

According to him, "Prayers to Christ are the strongest weapon that unites us with God, who loves everyone, including those who oppose us, those who consider us enemies because we are all united in the love of Christ and we are all friends."

As earlier reported, the Macedonian Church refused to co-serve with the OCU.