A seven-day mourning period has been declared in North Macedonia due to the tragedy in the city of Kočani, in which fifty-eight young people aged 14 to 25 died in a fire, and nearly a hundred were injured.
The Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in the country addressed the relatives of the deceased and the entire society: “With deep sorrow and pain we have received the ominous news of the enormous tragedy in Kočani, in which many of our young children lost their lives, and many more are fighting for their lives. Even in these moments of indescribable sorrow, however, let us not forget that God is the God of the living and that there are no dead in Him. Therefore, although it is impossible to find human words of comfort, consolation for families and loved ones, as well as for all of us, let there be faith that the memory of the righteous is eternal and that they will forever reside in the Living God.”
Metropolitan Hilarion of Bregalnica, in whose diocese Kočani is located, wrote: “With great sadness and pain in my soul this morning I learned the terrible and sad news about the tragedy that occurred in our diocese, in the city of Kocani. For all the deceased, I kneel and pray to the Risen God to receive them among the angels and saints in the Kingdom of Heaven and that this suffering may be imputed to them as martyrdom. I sympathize with the pain and sorrow of the parents, relatives and all who are in any way affected by this terrible tragedy. In these difficult moments, let us be by each other’s side, giving comfort to those who need it in this sad moment.”
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew sent his condolences to the President of North Macedonia Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova and to Metropolitan Hilarion. He expressed his deep sorrow, sympathy and support for the people of North Macedonia.
Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil called Archbishop Stefan of North Macedonia to express his deepest condolences on the tragic incident in the city of Kochani. “The pain and suffering that our brothers and sisters from North Macedonia are experiencing at this moment are at the same time our pain and our suffering,” said His Beatitude Archbishop Stefan. He thanked the Orthodox Christians of the fraternal Bulgarian Orthodox Church for their sympathy and prayers at this tragic moment for all of North Macedonia.
Serbian Patriarch Porphyry also sent his condolences: “The Gospel truth that if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it, and if one member is glorified, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Cor. 12:26), which applies to all people and all nations, we feel it even more deeply when it comes to the suffering of our closest brothers and sisters – as is the case with the night tragedy in Kochani. Know, Your Beatitude, that together with our faithful people we are united with you in sorrow, because those who had barely taken their first steps on this earthly path have departed.” Bishop Parthenius of Antananarivo – abbot of the Bigorski Monastery, wrote: “This tragedy, unfortunately, is yet another reminder that irresponsibility and lack of conscience often reign in our society. How many lives could be saved if there was care, if everyone took their responsibility with the necessary seriousness that life demands of us? Once again, we are witnesses to how irresponsibility, negligence and greed can lead to irreparable losses. How long will we watch the same tragedies repeat themselves without taking responsibility and correcting mistakes? Therefore, today, in addition to compassion and prayer, we also make an appeal – an appeal to society, an appeal to conscience, an appeal to ourselves… Human life is sacred, a priceless gift from God, and any loss of it due to unscrupulousness and dishonesty is also our collective guilt. “
May, through the prayers of our heavenly patron and intercessor, the Most Holy Lady the Mother of God, our Lord Jesus Christ grant gracious strength, courage, faith and hope to our Macedonian brothers and sisters in this terrible ordeal.
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First published in this link of The European Times.
