President Stevo Pendarovski, on the occasion of the beginning of the New Church Year, sent a letter to His Holiness Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch.
Your Holiness,
It is a special honor for me to address you and express my heartfelt wishes on the occasion of the beginning of the New Church Year.
History has shown that we need to constantly adapt to the times and use them for the benefit of the people. The Ecumenical Patriarchate is an example of how to remain consistent with values and at the same time be dynamic in facing current challenges.
As President of my country, I would like to personally inform you that as a country in the past three years we have decided to use the time in our favor and leave behind the historical disagreements.
I am addressing you on behalf of many of my fellow citizens who identify themselves as Orthodox Christians and whose only desire and need is to reconcile with their neighbors and to move towards a common future, coexistence and real freedom.
Therefore, I would like to ask you, Your Holiness, to accept the call of our pious people and our Church to use your right of appeal, so that our Orthodox Christian citizens would finally have the opportunity to be equal with all other Orthodox Christians in the world.
I wish you health in the midst of the great uncertainty of the health crisis that has challenged the whole world.
Respectfully,
Stevo Pendarovski
President of the Republic of North Macedonia