Istanbul, 12 June 2022 (MIA) – Ecumenical Patriarchate Bartholomew and Archbishop Stefan of Ohrid are holding a joint patriarchal and synodal divine liturgy at the Patriarchal Cathedral of St. George in the Phanar in Istanbul on Sunday. This is a first joint liturgy after the acceptance of the Ohrid Archbishopric in liturgical and canonical unity with all Orthodox churches, removing the decades-long schism imposed on the ancient Ohrid Archbishopric. Metropolitan Timotej of the Diocese of Debar and Kichevo, Metropolitan Metropolitan Peter of Prespa and Pelagonia, as well as Bishop Clement of Heraclea and Bishop Parthenius of Antania, several deacons, monks from the Bigorski Monastery and nuns from the Rajchica Monastery will also attend the liturgy. The joint liturgy is also attended by a government delegation led by Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski, and also including Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani, Defense Minister Slavjanka Petrovska and Minister of Interior Oliver Spasovski. The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is to meet with members of the government delegation, and also hold a tête-à-tête meeting with PM Kovachevski. In addition, hundreds of believers from the country have arrived in Istanbul to be present for the important events in the ancient Phanar. Ahead of Sunday’s joint liturgy, after attending an evening service on the occasion of the name day of His All-Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew handed over the Patriarchal and Synodal Act to Archbishop Stefan on accepting the Ohrid Archbishopric in liturgical and canonical unity. In his address to the Ecumenical Patriarch, Archbishop Stefan expressed eternal gratitude for the acceptance of the OA in communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and all Orthodox churches. The May 9 decision recognizes the Ohrid Archbishopric as canonical and valid in the Orthodox world. On May 16, the Council of the Serbian Orthodox Church (SOC) approved canonical unity with MOC-OA, accepting its full independence, followed by a joint liturgy of the two churches in Belgrade. During the second joint liturgy in Skopje on May 24, Serbian Patriarch Porfirij extended a blessing for autocephaly of MOC-OA, whereas the act confirming SOC’s decision was handed over to Archbishop Stefan in Belgrade on June 6. Archbishop Stefan said the process would continue after the visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, hoping that other Orthodox churches would accept MOA-OA’s autocephaly.