Archbishop Stefan congratulated the faithful Orthodox Christians on the coming Christmas holiday, which is being celebrated after the Macedonian Orthodox Church was recognized by the rest of the Christian churches.

After turbulent 55 years, this past summer the all-merciful God turned to our suffering and long-awaiting Church and rectified the injustices of the past two and a half centuries. He again restored us in the fullness of the All-Orthodox family – in canonican unity with all our sister Orthodox Churches, Archbishop Stefan said.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew initiated the long awaited recognition of the Macedonian Orthodox Church early last year, and this was followed by a move by the Serbian church to invite Stefan to joint sermons in Belgrade and then in Skopje, after which the Serbian church lifted its blockade of the international recognition of the Macedonian church, which is has claimed for over a 100 years.