Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric
Encyclopedia
The Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric (Serbian
, , Pravoslavna Ohridska Arhiepiskopija) is an autonomous Eastern Orthodox archdiocese in the Republic of Macedonia
. It is the only canonical Orthodox Church in the Republic of Macedonia and is in full communion
with all other Orthodox Churches.
The Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric has been refused registration by the Macedonian State Religion Commission on the grounds that one group may be registered for each confession and that the name was not sufficiently distinct from that of the Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC). MOC is recognized by the State Religion Commission but not by any other Orthodox churches
, which consider its unilateral 1967 declaration of autocephaly
a breach of canon law
.
. This however has no historical basis.
in June 2002, thus known as the Niš Agreement. The agreement was signed by all bishops of both delegations. However, the bishops of the delegations of the Macedonian Orthodox Church were exposed to severe criticism for signing this agreement, and although they attempted to defend it for a short time, the Synod
of the MOC rejected the agreement.
The Patriarch of Peć then summoned all bishops, clergy, monastics and faithful people to enter in liturgical and canonical unity with the Serbian Orthodox Church. Jovan Vraniskovski, Metropolitan
of Veles
and Povardarie
, and all priests of Veles agreed to respond to this call, and all signed a document of agreement.
On 23 September 2002, Metr. Jovan was appointed Exarch of all the territories of the Ohrid Archdiocese by the Assembly of the Serbian Orthodox Church. On 25 December 2003, he was elected Chairman of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric, after it had been constituted.
On 24 May 2005, he was confirmed by Patriarch of Peć as Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje in accordance with the Niš Agreement. On the same day, there was an announcement of the Patriarchal and the Assembly's Tomos for Autonomy of the Ohrid Archbishopric, with Archbishop Jovan as the Chairman of the Holy Synod of Bishops.
As of 2009, the Macedonian Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric is headed by Archbishop Jovan VI of Ohrid and Macedonia
. He presides over the Holy Synod of Hierarchs of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric, consisting of 4 metropolitan
s and titular bishop
s.
Diocese
s on the territory of Republic of Macedonia:
The Holy Synod
of bishops was constituted on 23 December 2003 in the monastery of Saint John Chrysostom. The current members of the Synod are:
The Archbishopric uses Old Church Slavonic
language.
, was broken into by armed and masked men, who not finding the Archbishop Jovan they were after, harassed and threatened the nuns with machine-guns, cut their hair and set the monastery on fire, in February 2004.
The faithful people of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric were raided by the police, molested and threatened to lose their jobs or have other problems. The Church in the Saint John Chrysostom monastery was demolished by the state authorities on 15 October 2004. The chapel St. Nectarios of Aegina, after being broken into and vandalized on several occasions, was at the end completely demolished on 12 July 2005. The priest who served at that chapel, Fr. Borjan Vitanov, was beaten up twice.
Archbishop Jovan was sentenced to 18 months of prison in June 2005 for Instigation of ethnic, racial and religious hatred, discord and intolerance. The verdict stated the conviction relied on these three points :
He served 220 days in prison before the Supreme court declared the last two of the three points to be unconstitutional and his sentence was shortened to 8 months. Archbishop Jovan was sentenced for the second time, on charges for Embezzlement, and as a second defendant was sentenced to a higher prison term of 2 years than the first defendant (who was sentenced 1 year and 3 months) in 2006. He served 256 days before being released.
The declaratively secular state legalized its identification with a specific religious community Macedonian Orthodox Church, through the Parliament’s "Declaration for support of the autocephaly of the MOC" reached on 23 January 2004. The Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric is denied registration by the state authorities. Orthodox clergy is not allowed to enter the country.
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
, , Pravoslavna Ohridska Arhiepiskopija) is an autonomous Eastern Orthodox archdiocese in the Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
. It is the only canonical Orthodox Church in the Republic of Macedonia and is in full communion
Full communion
In Christian ecclesiology, full communion is a relationship between church organizations or groups that mutually recognize their sharing the essential doctrines....
with all other Orthodox Churches.
The Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric has been refused registration by the Macedonian State Religion Commission on the grounds that one group may be registered for each confession and that the name was not sufficiently distinct from that of the Macedonian Orthodox Church (MOC). MOC is recognized by the State Religion Commission but not by any other Orthodox churches
Eastern Orthodox Church organization
This article covers the organization of the Eastern Orthodox Churches rather than the doctrines, traditions, practices, or other aspects of Eastern Orthodoxy...
, which consider its unilateral 1967 declaration of autocephaly
Autocephaly
Autocephaly , in hierarchical Christian churches and especially Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches, is the status of a hierarchical church whose head bishop does not report to any higher-ranking bishop...
a breach of canon law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
.
Foundation
The Archbishopric claims inheritance from the Constantinopolitan Archbishopric of Ohrid, founded in 1019, by Basil IIBasil II
Basil II , known in his time as Basil the Porphyrogenitus and Basil the Young to distinguish him from his ancestor Basil I the Macedonian, was a Byzantine emperor from the Macedonian dynasty who reigned from 10 January 976 to 15 December 1025.The first part of his long reign was dominated...
. This however has no historical basis.
Autonomy
In attempt to restore its canonical status and gain recognition from the Orthodox churches, the Macedonian Orthodox Church negotiated with the Serbian Orthodox Church, and these negotiations led to an eventual agreement signed in NišNiš
Niš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
in June 2002, thus known as the Niš Agreement. The agreement was signed by all bishops of both delegations. However, the bishops of the delegations of the Macedonian Orthodox Church were exposed to severe criticism for signing this agreement, and although they attempted to defend it for a short time, the Synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
of the MOC rejected the agreement.
The Patriarch of Peć then summoned all bishops, clergy, monastics and faithful people to enter in liturgical and canonical unity with the Serbian Orthodox Church. Jovan Vraniskovski, Metropolitan
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
of Veles
Veles (city)
Veles is a city in the center of the Republic of Macedonia on the Vardar river. The city of Veles is the seat of Veles Municipality.-Name:The city's name was Vylosa in Ancient Greek and before the Balkan Wars, it was a township with the name Köprülü in the Üsküp sandjak, Ottoman empire for 600...
and Povardarie
Povardarie
Povardarie is a geographic region in the central part of the Macedonia, and includes all of the canyons, mountains and valleys through which the river Vardar flows....
, and all priests of Veles agreed to respond to this call, and all signed a document of agreement.
On 23 September 2002, Metr. Jovan was appointed Exarch of all the territories of the Ohrid Archdiocese by the Assembly of the Serbian Orthodox Church. On 25 December 2003, he was elected Chairman of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric, after it had been constituted.
On 24 May 2005, he was confirmed by Patriarch of Peć as Archbishop of Ohrid and Metropolitan of Skopje in accordance with the Niš Agreement. On the same day, there was an announcement of the Patriarchal and the Assembly's Tomos for Autonomy of the Ohrid Archbishopric, with Archbishop Jovan as the Chairman of the Holy Synod of Bishops.
Structure
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
. He presides over the Holy Synod of Hierarchs of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric, consisting of 4 metropolitan
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
s and titular bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s.
Diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s on the territory of Republic of Macedonia:
- Archdiocese of SkopjeSkopjeSkopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
, headed by Archbishop Jovan VI of Ohrid and Macedonia; - Diocese of PrespaPrespaPrespa is a region in Republic of Macedonia. It shares the same name with the two Prespa lakes which are situated in the middle of the region. The largest town is Resen with 9,000 inhabitants....
and PelagoniaPelagoniaThis is about the geographical plain between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia. For the political unit in Macedonia, go to Pelagonia Statistical Region....
, vacant; - Diocese of BregalnicaBregalnicaBregalnica is the second largest river in the Republic of Macedonia. It starts as a spring near the mountain city of Berovo and it passes near the cities of Makedonska Kamenica, Kočani, Vinica and Štip, before joining the river Vardar on its way to the Aegean Sea...
, headed by Bishop Marko; - Diocese of DebarDebarDebar is a city in the western part of the Republic of Macedonia, near the border with Albania, on the road from Struga to Gostivar. It is the seat of Debar Municipality.-Geography:...
and KičevoKicevoKičevo is a city in the western part of the Republic of Macedonia, located in a valley in the south-eastern slopes of Mount Bistra, between the cities of Ohrid and Gostivar. The capital Skopje is 112 km away. The city of Kičevo is the seat of Kičevo Municipality.-Population:The municipality...
, vacant; - Diocese of PologPologPolog also known as the Polog Valley , is located in the north-western part of the Republic of Macedonia near the border with Serbia.It is divided into Upper and Lower Polog...
and KumanovoKumanovoKumanovo is a city in the Republic of Macedonia and is the seat of Kumanovo Municipality which is the largest municipality in the country. Municipal institutions include a city council, mayor and other administrative bodies.-Name:...
, headed by Bishop Joakim; - Diocese of VelesVeles (city)Veles is a city in the center of the Republic of Macedonia on the Vardar river. The city of Veles is the seat of Veles Municipality.-Name:The city's name was Vylosa in Ancient Greek and before the Balkan Wars, it was a township with the name Köprülü in the Üsküp sandjak, Ottoman empire for 600...
and PovardariePovardariePovardarie is a geographic region in the central part of the Macedonia, and includes all of the canyons, mountains and valleys through which the river Vardar flows....
(Vardar), vacant; - Diocese of StrumicaStrumicaStrumica is the largest city in eastern Macedonia, near the Novo Selo-Petrich border crossing with Bulgaria. About 100,000 people live in the region surrounding the city. The city is named after the Strumica River which runs through it...
, vacant;
The Holy Synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
of bishops was constituted on 23 December 2003 in the monastery of Saint John Chrysostom. The current members of the Synod are:
- Archbishop Jovan (Vranišovski) of OhridOhridOhrid is a city on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid in the Republic of Macedonia. It has about 42,000 inhabitants, making it the seventh largest city in the country. The city is the seat of Ohrid Municipality. Ohrid is notable for having once had 365 churches, one for each day of the year and has...
and Metropolitan of SkopjeSkopjeSkopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
; locum tenens of Veles and Povardarie. - Bishop Joakim (Jovčevski) of PologPologPolog also known as the Polog Valley , is located in the north-western part of the Republic of Macedonia near the border with Serbia.It is divided into Upper and Lower Polog...
and KumanovoKumanovoKumanovo is a city in the Republic of Macedonia and is the seat of Kumanovo Municipality which is the largest municipality in the country. Municipal institutions include a city council, mayor and other administrative bodies.-Name:...
; locum tenens of DebarDebarDebar is a city in the western part of the Republic of Macedonia, near the border with Albania, on the road from Struga to Gostivar. It is the seat of Debar Municipality.-Geography:...
and KicevoKicevoKičevo is a city in the western part of the Republic of Macedonia, located in a valley in the south-eastern slopes of Mount Bistra, between the cities of Ohrid and Gostivar. The capital Skopje is 112 km away. The city of Kičevo is the seat of Kičevo Municipality.-Population:The municipality...
. - Bishop Marko (Kimev) of Bregalnica; locum tenens of PrespaPrespaPrespa is a region in Republic of Macedonia. It shares the same name with the two Prespa lakes which are situated in the middle of the region. The largest town is Resen with 9,000 inhabitants....
and PelagoniaPelagoniaThis is about the geographical plain between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia. For the political unit in Macedonia, go to Pelagonia Statistical Region....
. - Vicar bishop David (Ninov) of StobiStobiStobi was an ancient town of Paeonia, later conquered by Macedon, and later turned into the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia Salutaris . It is located on the main road that leads from the Danube to the Aegean Sea and is considered by many to be the most famous archaeological site in the...
; locum tenens of StrumicaStrumicaStrumica is the largest city in eastern Macedonia, near the Novo Selo-Petrich border crossing with Bulgaria. About 100,000 people live in the region surrounding the city. The city is named after the Strumica River which runs through it...
.
The Archbishopric uses Old Church Slavonic
Old Church Slavonic
Old Church Slavonic or Old Church Slavic was the first literary Slavic language, first developed by the 9th century Byzantine Greek missionaries Saints Cyril and Methodius who were credited with standardizing the language and using it for translating the Bible and other Ancient Greek...
language.
Persecution
Upon entering in the canonical and ecclesiastical unity with the Serbian Orthodox Church, and through that with the whole community of Orthodox Churches, Archbishop Jovan was expelled by the police, without a court order, from his residence and cathedra in Veles on 7 July 2002. In the same manner, illegally and without a court order, the monks of four monasteries, were expelled from their monasteries, i.e. homes, in January 2004, immediately after joining the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric. A fifth monastery, Saint John Chrysostom in the village Nižepole near BitolaBitola
Bitola is a city in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia. The city is an administrative, cultural, industrial, commercial, and educational centre. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba and Nidže mountains, 14 km north of the...
, was broken into by armed and masked men, who not finding the Archbishop Jovan they were after, harassed and threatened the nuns with machine-guns, cut their hair and set the monastery on fire, in February 2004.
The faithful people of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric were raided by the police, molested and threatened to lose their jobs or have other problems. The Church in the Saint John Chrysostom monastery was demolished by the state authorities on 15 October 2004. The chapel St. Nectarios of Aegina, after being broken into and vandalized on several occasions, was at the end completely demolished on 12 July 2005. The priest who served at that chapel, Fr. Borjan Vitanov, was beaten up twice.
Archbishop Jovan was sentenced to 18 months of prison in June 2005 for Instigation of ethnic, racial and religious hatred, discord and intolerance. The verdict stated the conviction relied on these three points :
- he wrote a text in a religious calendar in which he slanders the Macedonian Orthodox Church
- he agreed to be appointed as an Exarch of the Ohrid Archbishopric in Macedonia and participated in the ordination of the bishops Joachim and Marko and
- he officiated at a religious service in an apartment owned by his parents.
He served 220 days in prison before the Supreme court declared the last two of the three points to be unconstitutional and his sentence was shortened to 8 months. Archbishop Jovan was sentenced for the second time, on charges for Embezzlement, and as a second defendant was sentenced to a higher prison term of 2 years than the first defendant (who was sentenced 1 year and 3 months) in 2006. He served 256 days before being released.
The declaratively secular state legalized its identification with a specific religious community Macedonian Orthodox Church, through the Parliament’s "Declaration for support of the autocephaly of the MOC" reached on 23 January 2004. The Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric is denied registration by the state authorities. Orthodox clergy is not allowed to enter the country.
International Reactions
- The United States Department of StateUnited States Department of StateThe United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
constantly includes in its "Religious Freedom Report" and "Human Rights Report" information regarding the restrictions of the religious freedoms of the members of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric, existence of religious prisoners, violation of freedom of movement, police terror and demolition of a monastery, prevention of OSCE from obtaining a copy of the decision upon which the demolition was carried out, police interrogations of the members of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric etc. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2008/108458.htm, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2007/90187.htm, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71394.htm, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2005/51567.htm, http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2004/35470.htm - The US Mission to the OSCE warned of Violation of freedom of religion and encouraged the authorities to apply the law fairly, advising the government should avoid involving in religious disputes, reminding that Article Nine of the European Convention on Human Rights and Article 19 of the Macedonian Constitution as well as Macedonia’s OSCE commitments, and international norms, all guarantee his right to freedom of religion.
- The European CommissionEuropean CommissionThe European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
pointed out that cases of violations of religious freedom exist and emphasized that the new law should provide more liberal procedure for registering religious communities. - Amnesty InternationalAmnesty InternationalAmnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
declared the Archbishop Jovan a Prisoner of consciencePrisoner of consciencePrisoner of conscience is a term defined in Peter Benenson's 1961 article "The Forgotten Prisoners" often used by the human rights group Amnesty International. It can refer to anyone imprisoned because of their race, religion, or political views...
. - Freedom HouseFreedom HouseFreedom House is an international non-governmental organization based in Washington, D.C. that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom and human rights...
reported that Archbishop Jovan has been arrested ... for his ties to the Serbian Orthodox Church. In Freedom House's publications Macedonia received a downward trend arrow due to ... an increase in the harassment of leaders of various religious groups. - The Helsinki Committee for Human RightsHelsinki Committee for Human RightsThe Helsinki Committees for Human Rights exist in many European countries as volunteer, non-profit organizations devoted to human rights and presumably named after the Helsinki Accords...
constantly reports about the violation of the religious freedoms and human rights of the members of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric: The violation of several basic rights was the result of activities of a number of state institutions (especially the Ministry of the Interior) directed against not only the followers (monks of the MOC who were supporting Vraniskovski), but also against citizens who approve of him or had compassionate sentiments or attitude towards them. This can be illustrated by the following: problems upon entry and exit from the state, threats, police detention, lawsuits against citizens who have provided housing for the outcast monks, police ban in the exercise of the right to residence http://mhc.org.mk/default-mk.asp?ItemID=1609B5961305E340B3BCB614BFD1D926&arc=1, http://mhc.org.mk/default-mk.asp?ItemID=577B948E52C7B648A9F4398C90B0A71C&arc=1, http://mhc.org.mk/default-mk.asp?ItemID=D269C890ADF91F4D8B26B40C32163802&arc=1 etc. - Commission on Security and Cooperation in EuropeCommission on Security and Cooperation in EuropeThe Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe , also known as the U.S. Helsinki Commission, is an independent U.S. Government agency created by Congress in 1976 to monitor and encourage compliance with the Helsinki Final Act and other OSCE commitments. It was established in 1976 pursuant to...
reported about the imprisonment of Archbishop Jovan, finding that Macedonian officials, in response to the ecclesiastical dispute concerning the status of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, have over-reacted and that the 18-month prison term sentence is excessive and unjustified. Regarding the case of the destruction of the chapel, the report states that The government, at least, must exhibit more restraint and end these harassments, and also pay reparations for the destroyed buildings. The report also covers the religious freedom governing legal framework, finding it ambiguous, and further stating that Since religious groups are required to register, the lack of a clear mechanism can be problematic. - Forum 18Forum 18Forum 18 is a Norwegian human rights organization that promotes religious freedom. The organization's name is based on Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights...
reports that New Religion Law perpetuates discrimination http://forum18.org/Archive.php?article_id=1107 - Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople sent a letter to the Prime Minister of Macedonia requesting immediate release of Archbishop Jovan.
- Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow sent a letter to the President of Macedonia demanding immediate release of the Archbishop Jovan.
- Holy SynodSynodA synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
Of Hierarchs Of The Church of GreeceChurch of GreeceThe Church of Greece , part of the wider Greek Orthodox Church, is one of the autocephalous churches which make up the communion of Orthodox Christianity...
expressed a severe protest for an emergent release of Archbishop Jovan from prison, and for respect of religious freedom in the Republic of Macedonia. - The Holy Community of the Mount AthosMount AthosMount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
sent a letter of support to the Archbishop Jovan, signed by all Representatives and Abbots who are in the common Assembly of the twenty Holy Monasteries of the Holy Mount Athos. - The Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas Condemned the Imprisonment of Archbishop Jovan by Macedonia and asked for his release.
- Metropolitan HermanHerman (Swaiko)Metropolitan Herman is the former primate of the Orthodox Church in America . As the head of the OCA, he was the Archbishop of Washington and New York, and Metropolitan of All America and Canada...
of the Orthodox Church in AmericaOrthodox Church in AmericaThe Orthodox Church in America is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church in North America. Its primate is Metropolitan Jonah , who was elected on November 12, 2008, and was formally installed on December 28, 2008...
called for release of Archbishop Jovan of Ohrid.
External links
- Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric official page
- Forum 18
- Institute for War and Peace Reporting
- FreeArchbishop.com
- Ecumenical Patriarchate
- Patriarchia.ru
- Church of Greece
- The Orthodox Word
See also
- Bulgarian Archbishopric of OhridBulgarian Archbishopric of OhridThe Archbishopric of Ochrid was an autonomous Orthodox Church under the tutelage of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople between 1019 and 1767...
- List of Eparchies of the Serbian Orthodox Church