Macedonian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand
Diocese of the Macedonian Orthodox Church
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Macedonian Orthodox Diocese of Australia and New Zealand (Macedonian: Австралиско-Новозеландска Епархија) is one of 10 dioceses of the Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC).[1] There are some 27 MOC churches in Australia. Almost half are under the Macedonian Orthodox diocese headed by Bishop Nikola (Trajkovski).[2]
Diocese of Australia and New Zealand Австралиско-Новозеландска Епархија | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Territory | Australia, New Zealand |
| Headquarters | North Macedonia |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Eastern Orthodox |
| Established | 1981 |
| Current leadership | |
| Bishop | Nikola (Trajkovski) |
| Website | |
| MOC Diocese of Australia and New Zealand | |
History
The Macedonian Orthodox Church created its first diocese in 1967 for Macedonian diaspora communities that covered Canada, the United States, Australia and New Zealand.[3] By 1981, the MOC split the diocese into two parts creating a diocese for Canada and the United States and another diocese for Australia and New Zealand.[3] The diocese for Australia and New Zealand is headquartered in Melbourne.[3] Metropolitan Tomotej of Debar-Kičevo served as its first administrator, succeeded in 1995 by Metropolitan Petar of Prespa-Pelagonija who has served in the role till present.[3] The structure of the diocese is split into a number of regencies that are split as municipalities and church parishes.[3] Regencies belonging to the archpriest are within Sydney (17 churches) and Melbourne (9 churches).[3] Close to Melbourne and in the vicinity of King Lake, St. Kliment Ohridski - Chudotvorec is the first monastery founded in Australia by the Macedonian community.[3]
Over some two decades the diocese experienced internal divisions regarding the matter of property ownership.[3] In the context of Australian law, a sizable number of parishioners view themselves and not the MOC as owners of properties and churches in the country.[3] During early 2012, people representing the parishes and municipalities who refuse Metropolitan Petar's legitimacy entered into negotiations with the MOC.[3] Both sides agreed to a short-term solution which acknowledged each other.[3] One group would be part of the jurisdiction of Metropolitan Petar and the other under the MOC and its Synod.[1][3] The MOC synod convened a meeting whose outcome resulted in Metropolitan Timothy becoming the overseer of Macedonian parishes who do not support Metropolitan Petar in Australia.[3] The number of parishes under Metropolitan Petar are 13.[3] Both sides agreed to put on hold any legal processes in order to allow for time to reach a solution over a period of 3 years.[3] In the late 2010s the situation had become formalised and the churches under Metropolitan Timothy are organised as the Macedonian Orthodox Diocese of Australia - Sydney.[4]