On June 17, 2007, the Autonomous Orthodox Archdiocese of Ohrid was blessed to receive a new bishop, when Archbishop Jovan's assistant, Archimandrite David (Ninov) was consecrated as Bishop of Stobi. The Archdiocese - the only canonical Orthodox Church in the Republic of Macedonia - now has four hierarchs in its Holy Synod: Archbishop Jovan, and Bishops Joakim, Marko, and David.
The hierarchs, clergy and faithful of the Archdiocese remain in grateful devotion to God in the face of harassment, beatings, denial of legal rights, refusal of employment, and public denunciations. On June 5, 2007, less than two months after he was released from his second prison term, Archbishop Jovan wrote a letter of heartfelt thanks to all those who have supported the Archbishop Jovan Fund. As this letter makes clear, the Archdiocese needs support now as much as it ever has:
Beloved in the Lord, fathers, brothers, and sisters,
With a slight belatedness since our release from prison we wish to officially thank your God-loving selves for what you have done, and for what you are still doing for our most holy Ohrid Archbishopric, both during our second incarceration in the prison in Skopje, after a politically motivated court proceeding, and now.
With this letter, before all, I would like to thank the founder and organizers of the Archbishop Jovan Fund, the Very Reverend Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes, the Very Reverend Protopresbyter Victor Potapov and the Revered Hieromonk Damascene from the St. Herman Brotherhood, but we would also like to thank all those who, either from their surplus, or from their shortage, have materially aided our Church. Ever since the earliest times, the Church has economized properly with its possessions, and the wealthier have always supported the needy. This is also reflected in our times, today, when a politically persecuted and terrorized Church needs to be helped.
We may say with certainty that a highly conscientious and firmly built Christian faith knows how to be responsible for the whole of the Church, regardless of the part of the world it is situated in. The Church is one, just a our Lord is one, just as we serve one Liturgy for each and for all. Thus through aiding the needy one partakes in the building of the whole of the Church, for it is one, gathered in one body. My brother's surplus is there so that it may add to my shortage, but the need of one in shortage is my obligation and my concern.
This great care for our most holy Archbishopric was shown by you fathers, founders and establishers of the Archbishop Jovan Fund, and yet it is not less than the love of those who gave contributions to this fund, whether they gave from their surplus or from their shortage.
The Ohrid Archbishopric is momentarily with a very modest estate. Five years ago, when our Church entered into liturgical and canonical unity with the Serbian Orthodox Church, we, at the time still Metropolitan of Veles and the Vardar Valley, were expelled from our residence. The government of the Republic of Macedonia confiscated our temples and monasteries, and the monks and nuns were evicted onto the street. These holy places are now usurped by the schismatics in the Republic of Macedonia who, unlawfully, with the support of the government, manage them. We, on the other hand, are in such a position that we must celebrate the services in private houses and apartments. But very often, because there is not enough room, we have to celebrate services under the open sky.
Our pious people save and refrain from even the most necessary things, just to collect money and build a temple. This is why this help collected in the Archbishop Jovan Fund is very meaningful: first of all, because it is a product of the unity of the Church, of your love and of your care, but, also, because it relieves the burden of our needs.
With hope that you will remember us and our needs, we heartily embrace you in our Lord, and we thank you from the contribution of your love. May it be multiplied by God, we pray to God so that He will give you His grace, which is eternal and abundant.
Archbishop and Metropolitan +Jovan of Ohrid and Skopje
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The Archbishop Jovan Fund has the blessings of His Beatitude Jovan, Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje. Also with the blessings of His Eminence, Metropolitan Isaiah, Presiding Hierarch of the Greek Orthodox Diocese of Denver, and Hieromonk Gerasim Abbot of St. Herman Brotherhood, Platina, California.
Board of Directors of Bishop Jovan Fund:
+Very Reverend Archimandrite Nektarios Serfes,
President
& Parish priest of Saints Constantine & Helen
Greek Orthodox Church, Boise, Idaho
+Archpriest Victor Potapov
First Vice President
Parish priest of St. John the Baptist
Russian Orthodox Church, Washington, D.C.
+Hieromonk Damascene,
Second Vice President
Editor: Orthodox Word. St. Herman Brotherhood. Platina, California
Father Paisius Monk
Secretary-Treasurer
St. Herman Brotherhood. Platina, California
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April 2006
May the great peace and joy of our Lord God always be with you!
Many of us may have heard about the plight and the struggles of the Orthodox Church within the Former Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), also known as Skopje, and its ruling Hierarch Archbishop Jovan.
On July 26, 2005, while fulfilling his Archpastoral duties, was arrested by the FYROM government and thrown into jail for the next 220 days. While he was in prison, he was denied visitors except his mother. He was not allowed to wear his cassock, cross or Panagia. All were take away! The Archbishop was also denied his Holy Bible. While the Archbishop was incarcerated, his father reposed in the Lord. In addition his passport was taken away two days before he went into jail and has still not been returned.
The manufactured charge against Archbishop Jovan was "embezzlement." In truth, though, he was arrested because of who he is: an Orthodox hierarch of the Autonomous Orthodox Church of Ohrid and Skopje, and under the immense pressure of the local pseudo-hierarchs of the schismatic Macedonian Orthodox Church - FYROM. As it is well known, the Archbishop has not embezzled any funds whatsoever, since all of the E57, 000, together with the interest of E180, were timely handed over to the court in Veles, literally minutes after this was requested by Mr. Trifun Kostrovski through the media, and who later testified before the court that Archbishop Jovan is innocent. Based on his testimony, the Archbishop was twice liberated, and the third time, after a severe political pressure, he was sentenced to imprisonment.
At first they had confined the Archbishop Jovan for a few days, then they confined him for 30 days which he had served; their only goal was to frighten him. Realizing that they failed to do so, they convicted him to two and half year imprisonment. After he served 8 months of that "punishment," the Supreme Court of FYROM acquitted him under the great pressure of the international community. Now, they have changed their tactics, aiming to present him as if he was a criminal. They convicted him to one year imprisonment as if he was truly embezzling funds of the Church although he had been acquitted by the Court from these charges. Therefore on August 8, 2006, Archbishop Jovan voluntarily turned up in the prison at "Idrizovo." The Archbishop remains in prison up until this day.
In the politically motivated processes within FYROM, truth and justice have no value. Of course it is common knowledge within FYROM itself that their government is strongly opposed to His Beatitude Archbishop Jovan and his Autonomous Archdiocese of Ohrid. In addition, it is also public knowledge that the schismatic Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC) created and sponsored by the FYROM Government, is also opposed to Archbishop Jovan and His Autonomous Archdiocese of Ohrid. It goes without saying that they only legitimate representative of Holy Orthodoxy within FYROM itself is Archbishop Jovan and his church, exclusively recognized as such by the Patriarchate of Serbia and the entire Orthodox world. Thus, and despite the fact that the court proceeding was conducted at the request of the schismatic Macedonian Orthodox Church, which participated in developing an outrageous forgery in collaboration with the Public Prosecutor of Veles, Archbishop Jovan continues to be in prison today, even after the first trial and the already pronounced verdict of "rejection" (innocence).
The Archbishop and his Archdiocese have lost several of their local Orthodox churches and monasteries - all of which have been destroyed. The photos on the website of Archbishop Jovan and his church speak for themselves. Access: http://www. Poa-info.org and press English Version and then access photo. One shrine after another has been fully destroyed, including several old monasteries.
The Archbishop and those within his Archdiocese have had to serve all liturgical services in local basements and apartments of homes, and even outdoors when the weather permits. The Archbishop and his Archdiocese have been and continue to be deprived of proper food and medical care for their 50 monks and nuns. Nuns were harassed and their hair pulled as they were being dragged from their monastery which was subsequently destroyed. One local monastery abbot was temporally incarcerated. These monks and nuns now all have to live in private homes and have not been able to find private employment due to official intimidation.
Under these conditions, Archbishop Jovan continues to live his Holy Orthodox Faith with great dignity and with love for all, in prison at this hour. Our Lord, at times, allows for a select few of His flock to be persecuted so that the rest of us may be compelled to act on their behalf, or, most important, to prepare ourselves in the event that widespread persecution of the Orthodox faithful becomes a reality. Such is exactly the case with His Beatitude the Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje Jovan. As mentioned above, keeping his word, he voluntarily appeared in the prison "Idrizovo" and is currently serving the one-year-long politically pronounced prison sentence, for the fabricated criminal act of fictitious "embezzlement."
Silence on the part of Orthodox brethren throughout the free world only brings further sufferings and great hardship for Archbishop Jovan, because at this hour his health is gravely poor. Although the Archdiocese of Archbishop Jovan still has two Ruling Orthodox Bishops, one can well imagine the pressure for the needs of the monks, the nuns, priests, and faithful. The monks, nuns, and priests, as well as the two bishops find it impossible to maintain a residence for themselves, given the tremendous pressure against them by the government. They struggle to provide for themselves even the necessities of life, such as food and decent living standards, not to mention items for their liturgical needs.
Thus, the support of Christ-loving friends from around the world is needed at this hour so that some means of hope and peace can be brought to the Venerable Archbishop Jovan and his Archdiocese. In cooperation with the St. Herman Brotherhood in Platina, California, a fund has been established to receive badly needed donations that can reach this Archdiocese through a private bank account. Such funds would enable provision of the bare necessities such as candles, incense and other liturgical needs, as well as flour, sugar, and potatoes. The Archbishop Jovan Fund USA can made a huge difference to provide these items, and thus necessary that the corresponding appeal be directed to all Christ-loving souls to help this Archdiocese in their desperate need at this hour.
