Skopje, FYROM

Photo credit: PlusInfo
Due to the aforementioned unilateral declaration, the "Macedonian Orthodox Church" remains unrecognized by all other Orthodox churches and its clergy deemed schismatics. The POA, on the other hand, is canonically recognized in the Orthodox Christian world through its communion with the Serbian Church. Although the POA is the canonical church of the land since its founding in 1019, it is officially outlawed by the FYROM State Religion Commission. Its persecuted clergy and adherents conduct their services in secret locations.
So what was it about that simple statement of historical truth by Bishop David that makes it more relevant, even revolutionary? As a regular columnist for PlusInfo, in an article discussing the need to create positive regional relations with all countries surrounding the FYROM, he wrote:
- "PlusInfo" (http://plusinfo.mk/mislenje/2570/papadiamantis), 22 of March 2017.
The aforementioned discrepancy between the sociological profile of readers of this media and Ninov’s bold statement on the Hellenism of Alexander the Great and his civilizing actions (which, according to Russian Orthodox Cleric, Prof. Andrey Posternak**, paved the way for Christianity) makes it certain that it was not an “ordered” statement, but a personal conclusion by Bishop David that reflects international academic consensus as opposed to the anti-Greek, national-mysticist theories of "Macedonia" promoted by far-right VMRO-DPMNE academics since their creation of the national myth back in 1991 but especially since 2006 when the antiquization program of the FYROM became a fashionable social preoccupation.
The POA, with this highly polarizing and interesting statement, in the context of the regrettable fact that, from both religious, humanistic and sociological perspectives the knowledge about contemporary dynamic Hellenic culture is something virtually unknown to most citizens of the FYROM, promoted truth on a much higher order. Over the years, the POA has done this many times in the media with regard to Greek and Bulgarian history, which garnered the epithet of “predavnička (“treacherous“)” by the political far-right, blended with the rhetoric of high-ranking clerics of the schismatic "Macedonian Orthodox Church" that promotes the bizarre notion of “unbroken linguistic, cultural and biological origin from the Macedonians of Alexander’s era”.
Notes:
*SDSM (Social-democratic Union of FYROM)
** Andrey Posternak’s statement may be seen here.