Document #1225699
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
In a telephone interview on 3 May 1995, and
subsequently confirmed in writing, the Archivist of the Orthodox
Church in America in Syosset, New York, provided the following
information. There are 15 national (or in some cases
multi-national) church bodies throughout the world which are
universally recognized as legitimate Orthodox Churches. These 15
Churches are all in communion with each other. In this case, it is
important to note that 2 of these 15 Churches are the Serbian
Orthodox Church and the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. There are other
church bodies that call themselves "Orthodox" but are not
recognized as legitimate by the 15 recognized Orthodox Churches.
The Macedonian Orthodox Church originated in the 1960s when it
separated itself from the Serbian Orthodox Church and organized
itself as an independent church body. This independent church
structure of the Macedonian Orthodox Church is not recognized by
any of the 15 legitimate Orthodox Churches. It is not clear,
according to the Archivist of the Orthodox Church in America,
whether the Macedonian Orthodox Church in Bulgaria is the same body
which separated itself from the Serbian Church in the 1960s.
The Archivist stated that the laity of the
Macedonian orthodox Church are accepted as Orthodox Christians by
the 15 recognized Churches. However, the clergy (bishops, priests,
deacons) of the Macedonian Church are not necessarily accepted as
legitimate Orthodox clergy by the 15 recognized Orthodox Churches.
Such acceptance may vary from one national church body to another
among the 15 and may depend, in some cases, on whether a particular
clergyman was ordained by a bishop of one of the 15 recognized
Churches or not, or if a clergyman was ordained before or after the
Macedonian Orthodox Church separated itself from the Serbian
Orthodox Church. Such acceptance of Macedonian Orthodox clergy by
the 15 recognized Churches may also depend on the particular
relationship each of the 15 recognized Churches maintains with the
Macedonian Orthodox Church. It is important to note that these
relationships are complex and at times inconsistent.
For additional information on the
Macedonian Orthodox Church, please consult the attachment.
This Response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum.
Orthodox Church in America, Syosset,
New York. 3 May 1995. Telephone interview with archivist.
Conference of European Churches, Geneva.
5 May 1995. Facsimile sent to the DIRB.