The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, today attended the central celebration of the Nativity of Christ - Christmas in the Cathedral “St. Kliment Ohridski” in Skopje. The Christmas liturgy led by the Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonia H.H. Stefan, and the members of the Holy Synod of the MOC. President Ivanov, following the liturgy, congratulated Christmas to the Orthodox citizens and wished them health, happiness and joy. To all those who celebrate today the great Christian holiday Christmas I congratulate them the birth of Christ. I wish you all health, joy and happiness throughout the year. In the spirit of our tradition, I wish we are united throughout the year as we are united for the holidays. May we help each other in solidarity and respect each other, President Ivanov said and greeted the Orthodox Christians with the traditional greeting “Christ is born”. In the Ivanov family, this year the coin in the Christmas Eve pie went to their home, the President said.
The liturgy was attended by the President of the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia, Trajko Veljanovski, the US Ambassador Paul Wohlers, the Director of the Commission for Relations with Religious Communities and Religious Groups, Valentina Bozinovska, and other personalities from public life in the country. The Christmas liturgy served in the Cathedral was attended also, among the other clergy, the archimandrite Nikodim Tsarknias, fighter for the rights of Macedonians in Greece. President Ivanov, after the liturgy, attended the Christmas lunch which is traditionally organized by the Head of the Macedonian Orthodox Church – the Ohrid Archbishopric, H.H. Stefan.