Macedonia tells when their Church will recognize the OCU
Metropolitan Naum (far right). Photo: freeglobe.m
In an interview with the Strumica publication, Metropolitan Naum stated that Patriarch Bartholomew does not demand recognition of the OCU, but only demands concelebration with its "hierarchs", adding that "it is easier to remain in a comfortable position and not take any responsibility, but this path never ends well".
"We as an autocephalous Local Church, unrecognized by the majority, will have the right to recognize the autocephaly of any Local Church, but only after first receiving a Tomos of autocephaly from the Ecumenical Patriarchate," emphasized Metropolitan Naum.
He also noted that "any acceptance of one side in the existing conflict between Constantinople and Moscow would mean the loss of our precious self-proclaimed autocephaly and our merger with one of the two sides – and the loss of everything."
According to the hierarch, "in fact, we were accepted (into eucharistic communion – Ed.) precisely because of this conflict, otherwise no one would have recognized us".
"Regardless of how it ends, it all boils down to the point of whether God is in the first place, or something else, for which each of us will have to answer now, because down the road it will be too late," Metropolitan Naum said.
Earlier, the the UOJ wrote that, according to Metropolitan Naum, the Phanar demands not to recognize the OCU, but to serve with its "hierarchs".
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