Head of Macedonian Orthodox Church Visits Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Canada

photos: Marija Vecanski (Goldenlux Photography)

On Thursday, September 4, His Beatitude Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Stefan, hierarch of the Macedonian Orthodox Church – Archdiocese of Ohrid, visited the seat of the Serbian Orthodox Diocese of Canada – the Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Milton. In addition to the Archbishop, the MOC delegation consisted of Fr. Daniel Jovanovski and Protodeacon Aleksandar Dimitrijov.

With the prayerful participation of all the priests of the Eastern Canadian Deanery, and all the Canadian priests of the Macedonian Orthodox Diocese of America and Canada, Fr. Jovan Marjanac, Secretary of the Diocesan Administrative Board, and Deacon Petar Marjanovic, Secretary of the Diocesan Office, served a doxology in honour of His Beatitude after which His Eminence Archbishop of Toronto and Metropolitan of Canada Dr. Mitrofan welcomed the guest with chosen words. Bishop Mitrofan emphasized the historical role of the Milton brotherhood as a bastion of Orthodoxy in Canada, not only for the Serbian community but for all Orthodox Christians.

Blessing all those gathered, Archbishop Stefan referred to the closest relations between the two sister churches, emphasizing that he feels that he is among his own when among Serbs. After the service, an agape was organized in honour of the guests, during which prayerful gifts were presented in memory of this historical event.

The prayerful participation in the visit was taken by Fr. Ivan Radovic, a priest of the Diocese of Budimlja and Niksic, the newly arrived Consul General of the Republic of Serbia in Toronto Mr. Dejan Erakovic, the Director of the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region Mr. Vladimir Kokanovic, the Assistant to the Directorate for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region Ms. Sladjana Markovic, all members of the Diocesan Council of the Diocese of Canada, benefactors of the Church in Canada Mr. Zeljko Colakovic and Mr. Zeljko Prica, the Vice-President of the Youth Committee of the Diocese of Canada Mr. Rajko Djurdjevic, Member of Parliament Mr. Nenad "Ned" Kuruc, the presidents of the Serbian National Defense in Canada Mr. Aca Pantelic and Mr. Zoran Cvijetic, as well as the presidents of several Church and School Congregations and national organizations in Ontario.