The Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric was formed in 2002 following a failure in negociations between the Serb Orthodox Church and the canonically-unconstitutional and unrecognized Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC).

Whereas the Holy Synod of the MOC rejected the so-called Niš agreement a few bishops broke ranks and agreed to form the autonomous church under tutelage of the Belgrade Patriarchy.

The church currently includes three high-ranking:

• Metropolitan Jovan (Vranišovski) of Veles-Povardarje and Exarch of Ohrid
• Bishop Joakim (Jovčevski) of Velika and Polog-Kumanovo
• Bishop Marko (Kimev) of Dremvica and Bitola

The MOC has reacted by ordering the state authorities to issue arrest warrants for all clergy of the Ohrid Archbishopric, to prevent bishops of the Serb Orthodox Church from entering Macedonia. Furthermore, on October 15, 2004 the authorities proceeded to tear down a monastery being built in Nižepole near Bitola. The monastery was to have been the spiritual center of the Archbishopric.

The Archbishopric's language is Macedonian and all of its clergy are ethnic Slav Macedonians.

External links

• Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric official page (http://www.poa-info.org/index-en.html)