Eparchy of Debar and Veles

Eparchy of Debar and Kičevo Епархија дебарско-кичевска
Location
Territory	Western region of the Republic of Macedonia
Headquarters	Debar Republic of Macedonia
Information
Denomination	Eastern Orthodox
Sui iuris church	Serbian Orthodox Church – autonomous Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric
Established	2003
Language	Church Slavonic
Current leadership
Bishop	administrator Joakim Jovčevski (2005–present)
Website
Bishopric of Debar and Kičevo

Eparchy of Debar and Kičevo (Епархија дебарско-кичевска) is an Eastern Orthodox eparchy (diocese) of the Orthodox Ohrid Archbishopric, an autonomous and canonical branch of the Serbian Orthodox Church in the Republic of Macedonia. Its historical seat is in the city of Debar. Since 2005, the Eparchy is under administration of Bishop Joakim Jovčevski of Polog and Kumanovo.

From 1018 to 1283, Eparchy of Debar and neighboring region of Kičevo were under ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Eastern Orthodox Archbishopric of Ohrid. In 1107, archbishop Theophylact of Ohrid reported that bishop of Debar had to flee because of war between Byzantines and Normans that ended with the Treaty of Devol. In 1283, Byzantine rule ended. Territories of Debar and Kičevo were incorporated into the medieval Kingdom of Serbia and placed under the jurisdiction of Serbian Orthodox Church. In 1395-1396, entire region was conquered by Ottoman Turks, and subsequently placed again under the jurisdiction of Archbishopric of Ohrid. Under Ottoman rule, the region was organized as Sanjak of Debar.

In 1557, when Serbian Patriarchate of Peć was restored, Eparchy of Debar remained under ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Archbishops of Ohrid. After the suppression of Serbian Patriarchate (1766) and Archbishopric of Ohrid (1767), all of their eparchies came under direct jurisdiction of Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Since then, Bishops of Dabar were appointed from Constantinople and they were granted the honorary title of Metropolitan.

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Wikipedia