Phanar head receives a delegation from unrecognised Macedonian Church
Having arranged a magnificent reception, Patriarch Bartholomew expressed paternal concern for all of us, they said in the schismatic Macedonian Church.
Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople received a delegation from the schismatic Macedonian Orthodox Church led by "bishop" Parthenios of Antania (Fidanovski) at his Patriarchal Cathedral in Istanbul, Turkey, reports religionija.mk.
In addition to the “bishop”, the delegation included “monks” and “nuns” from four monasteries of the Macedonian Church. The meeting was also attended by the assistant to Patriarch Bartholomew, Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon.
It is noted that this is the first time that the head of the Phanar has received such a delegation of schismatics from Northern Macedonia. "His Holiness Patriarch delivered a corresponding address in which he expressed his paternal concern for all of us and our Church. At the end, we all received a blessing from him by kissing his holy right hand," the website reports the words of the members of the delegation.
As reported, the head of the Phanar may provoke a break with the Serbian Church, according to Bishop Anthonije (Pantelic) of Moravica.