The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, on the occasion of the great Christian holiday St. Clement of Ohrid, sent a congratulation note to the Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonia, H.H. Stephan.

Your Holiness,

On my personal behalf and on behalf of the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia, to you personally, to the members of the Holy Synod of the Macedonian Orthodox Church and to all Orthodox believers in this country and abroad, I would like to extend most sincere and cordial greetings on the occasion of the great Christian holiday St. Clement of Ohrid.

Observing the day of St. Clement of Ohrid is not only significant for the Republic of Macedonia, but also for the European culture and civilization. The spiritual and secular role of St. Clement of Ohrid, reflected in his endeavor as a founder of the Ohrid Archbishopric, of the Ohrid Literary School and architect of the Cyrillic Alphabet, has not lost its importance even today, being an expression of freedom, humanism, openness.

St. Clement of Ohrid has, in the holy Macedonian Orthodox Church and in the heart of every Orthodox believer, a faithful guardian and supporter of the noble ideas for enlightened humanity and a world abounding with love, prosperity and understanding.

Many happy returns of this great national holiday!

Sincerely,

Dr. Gjorge Ivanov