Skopje, 28 August 2023 (MIA) - President Stevo Pendarovski extended his greetings over the Christian holiday of Dormition of the Mother of God to the Pontiff of the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric (MOC-OA), HH Archbishop Stefan, and all Orthodox believers in the country.

"Allow me to personally extend my congratulations to you, the members of the Holy Synod, to the venerable monastic community and clergy, as well as to all Orthodox believers, on the occasion of the great Christian holiday, the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God. Celebrating one of the most noble and exalted feasts, the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God, through which essential messages are conveyed from antiquity to our present day, it is important to remember that the Most Holy Mother of God is a paradigm for everything that contemporary humans earnestly seek: compassion, care, courage, fortitude, empathy, love," said Pendarovski in his greeting.

This great holiday, said the President, also demonstrates that "we should endure every temptation together and individually with humility." Adding that "only with love and courage, as seen in the Mother of God, can we step through life."