Gorazd, the former Bishop of the Strumica and the European Bishopric of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, has died today after a lengthy illness.

Born Bogoljub Dimitrovski in the village of Strezovci near Kumanovo, he completed the theology faculty in Belgrade in the 60-ies, and then joined the Macedonian Orthodox Church. After his widowhood he became a monk in the St. George the Martyr monastery near Skopje assuming the name Gorazd, after one of the disciples of Ss. Cyril and Methodius. He was named bishop of Tiveriopol (Strumica) in 1977 by Archbishop Dositej and then, in 1994, he was named the first Bishop of the European Bishopric.

Bishop Gorazd withdrew from service in 2006.