Address by the President of the Republic of Macedonia Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, at the Formal Spiritual Academy, on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the restoration of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, held in the cathedral church of St. Sophia in Ohrid:

Dear Guests,
It is a real honor for me to address you at this Spiritual Academy. It is always said for Ohrid to be our spiritual and cultural capital, owing, largely, to the Macedonian Orthodox Church.

Today we celebrate 45 years since the restoration of the Ohrid Archbishopric. Great jubilee that speaks of the sincere and deep commitment of the Orthodox Macedonian people to their church. Jubilee that testifies of the turmoil our church and its believers have gone through.

During the third church and peoples assembly in 1967, held here in Ohrid, what was denied, repressed, persecuted for two centuries was restored. Throughout its existence, the Macedonian Orthodox Church - Ohrid Archbishopric, faced, and still faces, turbulences atypical for an apostolic church. Indeed, the Macedonian church is, basically - Apostolic church.

In the Acts of the Apostles, 16:9, it is said: “And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.” And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.”

Paul is not the only one. On several occasions, he was accompanied by Luke, Timothy, Silas and Tychicus. Apostle Andrew the First-Called also preached in Macedonia, whose assistant Urban, one of the seventy apostles, was appointed the first Macedonian bishop. The Word was spread by Aristrachus and Sekundus of Thessalonica, Epaphroditus of Philippi and Gaius of Derbe. The seed sown by the apostles in Macedonia gave rich harvest. Maybe the first flower is exactly the God-abiding Lydia, who is said to: “have her heart opened by the Lord to pay attention to what Paul has spoken of.” But that was only the beginning.

Through Macedonia, Christianity came to Europe. The last Roman and the first Byzantine emperor Justinian, raised the Macedonian Church at the level of Archdiocese with its center in Justiniana Prima. Thus, Macedonia became one of the spiritual beacons of Christianity in Europe.

Christianity spread along the Word and literacy. It is enough to recall the Slavic saints and teachers Cyril and Methodius, who exposed of the three-language heresy and defended the right of every nation to learn the Word of God in its own native language. Their students continued their missionary work in Macedonia. As St. Naum gave comfort to the sick, healing them in his monastery, St. Clement gave hope to those who were hungry and thirsty for justice and truth, through education.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Aware of this extraordinary history, we can only ask ourselves: What is the church for the Macedonian people? What is the source of commitment of so many generations of believers towards the Macedonian Orthodox Church? Commitment in the periods of glory, success and well-being, but, even more, in periods of external denial, refutation and suppression.

The Church is a temple for worship of God and a fortress of our uniqueness. Over the centuries, this piece of land was ruled by many kings and rulers, various usurpers and occupiers. At all times, the Macedonian people found shelter in the Macedonian Orthodox Church. There were times when the faith and the Church were extruded of public space and were suppressed from public life. Yet, they survived, both the people and their faith in God. The Macedonian Orthodox Church also survived as a pillar of uniqueness.

Distinguished guests,
The Church is not just a place for religious ceremonies, but a spiritual space for sincere faith in God. The church is the temples, the art and the literacy. But, above all, the church is the believers. The church is all those who have opened their hearts to the Word of God, to the faith, hope and love. The church is the place where one upgrade in spiritual, ethical and educational sense. Where the believer learns the golden rule that he should treat others as he wants others to treat him - with respect, good thought and love.

Deprived of their own Macedonian state, the Macedonian people found a shelter for the development of education, culture and art in the bosom of the Macedonian Orthodox Church. From the first Slavic university in Ohrid, 3500 students continued to spread education and literacy throughout Europe. Macedonian monasteries were the hubs of the Macedonian spirit and rebirth. The first Macedonian reformists came out of the monasteries, Joakim Krchovski and Kiril Pejchinovik - Tetoec, Partenija Zografski and Theodosius of Sinai.

What has been created in the Macedonian churches and monasteries is part of the world cultural treasury and testifies of the creativity and ingenuity of the Macedonian spirit. Frescoes and icons, iconostasis, and the church architecture, old manuscripts and other church items are a testimony and history, but also presence and inspiration for future generations. Hence, the Macedonian Orthodox Church, despite the pastoral role and the role of a living church, has the task to protect and promote cultural and artistic and, in general, civilization heritage found in its temples. That, of course, is not only honest and holy task of the clergy but all laymen.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Macedonian Orthodox Church today functions in completely different social conditions. In a free and democratic country where, of course, religious freedom is guaranteed. In such circumstances, the Macedonian Orthodox Church, as the other religious communities in the Republic of Macedonia, continues to be generator of spirituality and ethics among the believers. In a time of certain erosion of moral and spiritual values, in a world beset by economic crisis, conflict, instability, spirituality is what a modern man needs. Faith is what has kept us together through the centuries, but also what now gives quality and meaning of human life and prospects for the future. We are aware of the reality. We are aware of the responsibility. What we will leave behind us will remain for the generations after us.

At the end, allow me to congratulate you once again the anniversary and to conclude with the words of St. Clement:

"Take care of the flock entrusted to you, by teaching it with gentleness and instructing it to love ... To renew ourselves with goodness, we will, thus, make our life worth, not just to call ourselves Christians, but, as a spiritual endeavor, to be good and to compete with kindness."

Thank you.