The Holy Synod of the Church of the Czech Republic and Slovakia decided last week to recognize the “autocephaly” of the “Orthodox Church of North Macedonia”.

Following the unexpected recognition of the “autocephaly” granted by the Patriarchate of Serbia to the Church of Macedonia by the Patriarchate of Romania a few days ago, the Church of the Czech Republic and Slovakia also recognizes the uncanonical move of the Patriarchate of Serbia regarding the status of the Church of the Balkan country, announced the Church of the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

According to the announcement, the Holy Synod of the Church of the Czech Republic and Slovakia “was informed about the letters of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew regarding the restoration of the Eucharistic communion with the dioceses of Macedonia, as well as about the letters of the Serbian Patriarch Porfirij about the reintegration of the Church in Macedonia, in the canonical structure of the Orthodox Church of Serbia and for granting autocephaly to the Orthodox Church in Macedonia with the Patriarchal and Synod Tomos on May 20, 2022.”

In the announcement of the Holy Synod of the Church of the Czech Republic, there is no reference to the Church of Macedonia as “Ohrid Archbishopric”.

It is recalled that the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate announced on May 9 that it accepts the hierarchy, the clergy, and the people of this Church (Archdiocese of Ohrid) under Archbishop Stefan in Eucharistic communion”.

He clarified that it is left to the Church of Serbia to regulate the administrative issues between it and the Church in Macedonia while making it clear that it excludes the term “Macedonian” and any other derivative of the word “Macedonia”, and recognizes the name of the Church as “Ohrid”.