The President Stevo Pendarovski send a letter to His Holiness Bartholomew, Archbishop of Constantinople - New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, on the occasion of the recognition of the canonicality of our Church by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

In the letter, President Pendarovski assesses that with the admission of our Church in canonical unity and Eucharistic communion, the historical injustice inflicted on the Church and its believers is corrected. President Pendarovski expressed hope and expectation for the soon final settlement of the administrative status of our church by awarding Tomos for autocephaly by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, emphasizing that the full completion of the autocephaly of our church is of supreme national interest, as it opens the possibility for new spiritual growth of the Ohrid Archbishopric and progress and reconciliation in the Macedonian society.

"Your Holiness, I received with great pleasure the news of the historic decision of May 9, 2022 of the Holy and Supreme Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. By accepting our Church into canonical unity and Eucharistic communion, you are correcting the historical injustice inflicted on the Church and its faithful and healing the deep wounds caused by decades of isolation. It is especially important that you recognize our Church and its historical continuity with the ancient Ohrid Archbishopric, which for centuries has been a refuge and a source of spiritual strength and hope for the Orthodox believers. Your Holiness enjoys a great reputation and respect among the vast majority of Macedonian citizens, regardless of their ethnic, religious, political and generational affiliation. With this just and wise step, you justify the hope of my fellow citizens of the Orthodox Christian faith that it is the Ecumenical Patriarchate that can help our Church finally take its rightful place in the Orthodox world. "And with that, to erase the artificially created divisions and to open the space for building the spiritual unity of the Orthodox believers", Pendarovski states in the letter.

In this crucial period, he adds, the timely decisions of the Ecumenical Patriarchate can decisively affect the spiritual identity of current and future generations, and thus the spiritual and social environment in the Republic of Northern Macedonia.

"Hence, it does not matter whether our unity with the Orthodox world will be based on the living reality of our Church or on anachronistic solutions, imposed from outside, which are against the will of many believers. Having in mind the historical and canonical right of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, together with my fellow citizens of the Orthodox faith, I sincerely hope and expect the soon final settlement of the administrative status of Our Church by granting Tomos for autocephaly by you. The complete completion of the autocephaly of Our Church is of supreme national interest for us because it opens the possibility for new and unencumbered spiritual growth of the Ohrid Archbishopric and progress and reconciliation in the Macedonian society. Finally, Your Holiness, I take this opportunity to convey to you and the Holy and Supreme Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate the expressions of my highest respect, "said President Stevo Pendarovski.