Skopje, 20 April 2025 (MIA) - This year, we are celebrating Easter differently than before, after the terrible fire in Kochani, in which sixty of our children died and more than two hundred were injured. The tragedy, in a short time, as rarely before, united our entire people in grief and prayer, as well as all those who sympathized with us, Head of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonia, HH Stefan said in his Easter message. 

"At the same time, the Kochani tragedy once again confronted us in the most cruel way with the merciless reality of death. In the prayerful farewell to these young people and in the temporary separation from them, nothing else could give us strength and comfort but letting them go with a strong hope in the resurrection," HH Stefan said, remembering those who sacrificed their own lives to save as many other lives as possible. 

He noted in his message among other that united by faith in the Risen Lord, today we celebrate the greatest event in history – Christ’s victory over death.

"Therefore, congratulating you on the greatest holiday – Easter, we wish that the blessing of the Lord will reign in each of us and in the whole world. For this it is necessary in these joyful days that we greet each other saying “Christ is Risen! Truly He is Risen!" said HH Stefan in his Easter message.

The message from the Head of the Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC-OA) and members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the MOC-OA also notes that this year marks 80 years since the holding of the First Macedonian Church-People's Council, at which a decision was made announcing the establishment of the Macedonian Orthodox Church by restoring the ancient Ohrid Archbishopric.