Archbishop Stefan Marks 40 Years of Episcopal Service on the Feast of All Macedonian Saints
October 4, 2026 | Skopje, North Macedonia
His Beatitude Archbishop Stefan of Ohrid and Macedonia, Primate of the Macedonian Orthodox Church–Ohrid Archbishopric, marked forty years of episcopal service on October 4, 2026 — the same day the Church keeps the feast of All Macedonian Saints. Archbishop Stefan was tonsured a monk at the Monastery of St. Naum in Ohrid in 1986 and ordained to the episcopate that same month; he was elected the fifth Primate of the Macedonian Orthodox Church in 1999.
The anniversary was marked with a concelebrated Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral Church of St. Clement of Ohrid in Skopje, before a large congregation. Archbishop Stefan presided, joined by Metropolitan Petar of Prespa-Pelagonia, Metropolitan Naum of Strumica, Metropolitan Agatangel of Povardarie, Metropolitan Pimen of Europe, Metropolitan Ilarion of Bregalnica, Metropolitan Josif of Tetovo-Gostivar, Metropolitan Grigorij of Kumanovo-Osogovo, and Metropolitan Georgij of Debar-Kičevo, together with Bishop Joakim of Deljadrovo-Ilinden and Bishop Marko of Delčevo-Kamenica. Bishop Kliment of Heraclea was also present in prayer.
In remarks during the service, Archbishop Stefan spoke of "the church that each of us builds inside themselves" — the interior life of faith that underlies the visible church — and noted that young people continue to be present in the churches even where Orthodox religious education is not taught in schools.
The Macedonian Orthodox Church offers its congratulations to Archbishop Stefan on this anniversary, with prayers for many more fruitful years of archpastoral service.
Source: preminportal.mk, telma.com.mk, kurir.mk, and republika.mk, October 2026.
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