MOC welcomes proposal for talks with SPC

TANJUG
1/11/2012

SKOPJE — The Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC) has reacted to Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić’s proposal for resolving a dispute with the Serbian Orthodox Church.

In a statement, the MOC Synod said that they expected the proposal “to lead toward the resumption of the suspended dialogue between the churches”.

After a week-long analysis, the Macedonian Church welcomed President Nikolić’s call for the resolution of the church dispute through an open dialogue on all issues.

The MOC Synod does not elaborate on the details as to the direction in which the dialogue could go, but only that it expects its resumption.

Before the session, MOC head Stefan also welcomed Nikolić’s initiative, and added that the SPC itself is divided over the issue.

Serbian Patriarch Irinej told Tanjug last week that the problem with the church in Macedonia could be resolved only in line with the Orthodox canon, and taking into consideration the agreement of 2002, which the MOC had rejected, and which envisages an independent archdiocese in Macedonia with the respect of symbols and mention of the SPC patriarch.

Serbian and Macedonian presidents Tomislav Nikolić and Gjorge Ivanov said in Skopje recently that the dispute between the Serbian and Macedonian churches should be resolved through dialogue, and that they stand ready to help.

Nikolić and Ivanov agreed that many things, including that related to churches, depend on good relations between the two countries.

The non-canonical MOC unilaterally declared its autocephaly in the summer of 1967.

Source: