It’s a great but also bold act to speak and write about the renowned wonderworker of Ohrid, the Equal-to-Apostles St. Clement, because we’re required to thoroughly plunge into his holy life and dive down the immense depths of his theology. However, all of us, just like children, though unworthy, rejoice that God has entrusted us with the great honor to praise and solemnly celebrate his great work.
St. Clement’s diocese of Dremvica worthily laid the foundations of Ohrid Archbishopric and St. Clement himself, as a Bishop, strengthened the spiritual life of his flock, zealously watching over human souls and wisely teaching the clergy how to live as priests and monks. As the first Slavic Bishop, he made the efforts to establish the worship in Old Slavonic language in our area, and as a teacher he tirelessly worked to open the University in Ohrid and educated more than 3500 students in the true science of God. Because of his many glorious deeds and innumerable miracles, he was also addressed as Archbishop, although he was not. Still his deeds could well justify him being called even a Patriarch.
Working tirelessly on Christ’s field, St. Clement enlightened, educated and ennobled the barbaric Slavic people. That is why he is called “the new Paul among the new Corinthians (i.e. the Slavs)”. According to his biographer Theophylact of Ohrid “he blazed with his life adorned by many wonders”.
That is why in the sacred tradition of the Ohrid Archbishopric the respect for St. Clement was deeply nurtured and carried on from generation to generation with a lot of love. This is also the reason why today our Church celebrates him as a spiritual father and heavenly patron.
Therefore the Bigorski Monastery, whose ties with the Ohrid Archbishopric have been unbreakable ever since its very foundation, celebrated with great love the memory of our beloved archipastor, St. Clement the Miracle Worker. This miraculous new Apostle of Christ’s love abundantly poured his parental blessing today, through the Eucharistic service of our Elder and Abbot, Bishop Parthenius. Because our beloved Elder holds a special love and respect for the work of this Saint, often calling him: “the New Testament Abraham of the Slavic people”, “the Patriarch of all Slavs”, “an ancestor of ours who gave birth to more spiritual sons and daughters than all the stars in the sky”, “the new Moses who took our people from the desert of idolatry to the promised land of theology “,” the glory of Christ among the Slavs…”
