I was baptised and worshipped in the (so called, if you like) Macedonian Orthodox Church until I found out that it was in schism with the Church. I then decided to go over to Greek Church. That said, I haven't entirely taken the uncanonical status of the Macedonians lying down. Interesting questions and perspectives arise, after all.
For instance, we're told that the reason for being excommunicated, firstly by the Serbs, is that the Macedonian Church was basically a stooge for Tito's communist plans in the former Yugoslavia. Fair enough. However, what's become apparent is that just when the Serbs were excommunicating the Macos, the Serbs themselves were also absolutely in Tito's hip-pocket. How is it then that one arm of Tito's plans was opposed to the other? Or in other words, if Tito and the communists were directing both the Serbian and Macedonian Churches, which they were, then why did the Serbs object to the Macos. If anything, they could only have supported them. So, what's the story? Anyone who's got more info than me on this would be a God-send.
Further, a certain Orthodox hierarch (for just one example) attacked the Macos fairly viciously recently with some comments he made in public. OK, then. And yet this same hierarch is now well known for his sympathies towards Unia with Rome, which includes praying with the Pope etc. Plain and simply, this is heresy, and this gives rise to two reasonable questions: 1. What does it really mean when the Macos are called graceless and uncanonical, and made to stay that way, by someone who is a heretic? 2. How does this supposed bastion of the Orthodox Faith justify his fondness for Roman Catholicism, which, according to Orthodox law, is not only schismatic but also heretical, while at the same time despising the Macos who are only schismatic?
In view of the above points, unless there's more information to come, it would almost seem that the Macos are not nearly as unorthodox as their made out to be; or if they are, then it's not because of the majority who say they are, and for the reasons that they give.
It does make you wonder.
For instance, we're told that the reason for being excommunicated, firstly by the Serbs, is that the Macedonian Church was basically a stooge for Tito's communist plans in the former Yugoslavia. Fair enough. However, what's become apparent is that just when the Serbs were excommunicating the Macos, the Serbs themselves were also absolutely in Tito's hip-pocket. How is it then that one arm of Tito's plans was opposed to the other? Or in other words, if Tito and the communists were directing both the Serbian and Macedonian Churches, which they were, then why did the Serbs object to the Macos. If anything, they could only have supported them. So, what's the story? Anyone who's got more info than me on this would be a God-send.
Further, a certain Orthodox hierarch (for just one example) attacked the Macos fairly viciously recently with some comments he made in public. OK, then. And yet this same hierarch is now well known for his sympathies towards Unia with Rome, which includes praying with the Pope etc. Plain and simply, this is heresy, and this gives rise to two reasonable questions: 1. What does it really mean when the Macos are called graceless and uncanonical, and made to stay that way, by someone who is a heretic? 2. How does this supposed bastion of the Orthodox Faith justify his fondness for Roman Catholicism, which, according to Orthodox law, is not only schismatic but also heretical, while at the same time despising the Macos who are only schismatic?
In view of the above points, unless there's more information to come, it would almost seem that the Macos are not nearly as unorthodox as their made out to be; or if they are, then it's not because of the majority who say they are, and for the reasons that they give.
It does make you wonder.