26 March 2023 (MIA)

Macedonian Orthodox Church Calendar

St. Nicephorus, Patriarch of Constantinople

He governed the holy Church with wisdom and zeal as the greatest arch-pastor of Constantinople. When Leo the Armenian made his stand against icons, he opposed the Emperor; first counselling him and then denouncing him. For this the accursed Emperor exiled him to the island of Prochonis. There was a monastery on that island, which Nicephorus himself had built in honour of St. Theodore. And this confessor of the Orthodox faith spent thirteen years there, then died and went to the Lord in 827. Then the entire iconoclast Emperors perished, and Michael, with his mother Theodora, came to the imperial throne in 842, and Methodius became Patriarch. Then, in 846, the relics of St. Nicephorus were translated from Prochonnesus to Constantinople and placed first in the Church of St. Sophia, from which he had been driven in his lifetime, and then in the Church of the Holy Apostles. The main commemoration of this great hierarchy is on June 2nd, but on March 13th is commemorated the finding and translation of his uncorrupted relics. St. Nicephorus was driven from Constantinople on March 13th, and on March 13th, nineteen years later, his relics were brought back to his patriarchal seat.

Catholic Calendar

St. Montanus & Maxima

Martyred husband and wife. Montanus was a priest and was arrested for being a Christian. Maxima shared his sufferings. They were drowned in the Save River, in Sirmium, Dalmatia, or at Singidunum, Pannonia.

Islamic Calendar

Time of iftar and suhur

In Skopje, iftar (breaking of the fast) today begins at 18:55h and suhur (the pre-dawn meal) starts at 04:53h.

Iftar and suhur in Prilep and Kumanovo start a minute earlier, 2 minutes earlier in Veles, 3 minutes in Stip, 4 minutes in Kochani, 5 minutes in Strumica and Valandovo and 6 minutes earlier in Delchevo.

Iftar and suhur start a minute later in Resen and Bitola, 2 minutes later in Tetovo, Gostivar and Kichevo, and 5 minutes later in Ohrid, Debar and Struga.