Macedonian Australian - Religion

Religion

Most Macedonians in Australia are followers of the Macedonian Orthodox Church. Although there are many Macedonian Muslims and people who follow other branches of Christianity. In 1996 there were 53,152 followers of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, in 2001 there were 53,244 adherents. in 2006 this number had fallen to 48,084 people. There is a diocese of the Macedonian Orthodox Church for Australia and New Zealand. The Macedonian Orthodox Church is often shortened to MPC.

There are over 40 Macedonian Orthodox Churches in Operation throughout Australia, 3 monasteries and two Cathedrals. Most of them fall under the jurisdiction of the Macedonian Orthodox Church - Diocese for Australia and New Zealand. The monasteries are MPM- Свети Прохор Пчински/Saint Prohor Pcinski of Donnybrook, MPM- Свети Наум Охридски/Saint Naum of Ohrid of Kinglake and MPCO- Света Петка/Saint Petka of Kembla Grange. The Cathedrals are Macedonian Orthodox Cathedral- Свети Климент Охридски/Saint Kliment of Ohrid of Red Hill and Macedonian Orthodox Cathedral- Свети Кирил и Методиј/Saints Cyril and Methodius of Rosebery (autocephalous).

The Macedonian Orthodox Church "St George" was founded in 1959 before full Autocephaly had been declared. The Greek Orthodox Community of Shepparton is primarily Macedonian. In 1975 the "Macedonian Church of St Cyril and Methodius" was founded in Sydney.

Although Most Macedonians are adherents of the Macedonian Orthodox Church many follow a different faith. In Melbourne there are two Macedonian Protestant Churches; the Macedonian Church in East Preston (Uniting Church) and Macedonian Baptist Community of Regent. There is another Macedonian Baptist Church in Sydney. Another Macedonian Methodist Community was established in Melbourne.