On this day: July 19, 1967, marks the declaration of the autocephaly of the Macedonian Orthodox Church.
The events began on July 17, 1967, with the convening of the Third Church-Lay Assembly, where the Macedonian Orthodox Church was proclaimed autocephalous. The official ceremony and solemn announcement to the public took place on July 19, 1967, at the Church of the Holy Mother of God Peribleptos (then known as St. Clement) in Ohrid.
At the Third Church-Lay Assembly, the Holy Synod of the Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC) adopted the decision to declare the autocephaly of the MOC as the rightful successor to the restored Ohrid Archbishopric.
The decision was proclaimed by the Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonia, H.H. Dositej (born Dimitrija Stojkovski).
He was subsequently succeeded as heads of the MOC by Archbishop Angelarij (Cvetko Krstevski), Archbishop Gavril (Gjorgji Miloshevski), Archbishop Mihail (Metodi Gogov), and the current head, Archbishop Stefan (Stojan Veljanovski).