Naum (metropolitan)

Bishop Naum of Strumica is the Metropolitan of the Diocese of Strumica, Macedonian Orthodox Church – Ohrid Archbishopric.

Metropolitan Naum of Strumica is a member of the Commission of the Macedonian Orthodox Church for dialogue with the Serbian Orthodox Church and the other Local Orthodox Churches.

He is fluent in Greek, English, and Russian.

His Eminence graduated in Law at the “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” University, in Skopje, and also graduated in Theology at the “St. Clement of Ohrid” University, in Skopje. In 2008 he defended his PhD thesis at the Faculty of Theology at the “Saint Clement of Ohrid” University, in Sofia, Bulgaria, on the topic “Hesychasm in Athonite Monasticism of the 20th Century.” In 2015 he obtained a master's degree in clinical psychology at the International Slavic University “Gavrilo Romanovich Derzhavin”, in Sveti Nikole. Since 2010, he is an associate professor at the Faculty of Pedagogy at the “St. Clement of Ohrid” State University, in Bitola.

As translator from Russian into Greek

ΑΓΙΟΣ ΜΑΞΙΜΟΣ Ο ΓΡΑΙΚΟΣ Ο ΦΩΤΙΣΤΗΣ ΤΩΝ ΡΩΣΩΝ (“Venerable Maximus the Greek – The Enlightener of Russia”), ΙΕΡΑ ΜΟΝΗ ΟΣΙΟΥ ΓΡΗΓΟΡΙΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΟΡΟΥΣ, 1991.

As translator from Greek into Macedonian

• "On Spirit and Life" by Elder Sophrony (Sakharov)
• "From Mask to Person" by Metropolitan John D. Zizioulas of Pergamon
• "Introduction into monastic life" by Elder Paisios
• "Hesychastic Testimonies" (selection) by Elder Joseph Spilaioti
• "Counsels on the Jesus Prayer" by Elder Ephraim of Philotheou

In the year 2000, he received the award "Archbishop Gabriel" for the most successful translation in spiritual literature for the book "Hesychastic Testimonies", given by the Macedonian Association of Literary Translators.

As author

So far, twelve of his authorial books have been published, containing pastoral epistles, letters, homilies, interviews and ascetical-hesychastic essays, the titles of which are as follows:

• "The Orthodox Church and the Union" (1992)
• "Homily from Eleusa" (2001)
• "Homily from Vodocha" (2002)
• "Facing the Absurd" (2007)
• "Neither Will I Tell You..." (2008)
• "Hesychasm in Athonite Monasticism of the 20th Century - Mind-and-Heart Prayer within the Harmony of the Ascetical-Hesychastic Struggle" (2009)
• "You Do Not Know What Manner of Spirit You Are of" (2010)
• "A School of Hesychasm - Primary" (2011)
• "Fruitful Virginity" (2012)
• "Only One Thing Is Needed" (2013)
• "Overcoming the Dualism" (2014) and
• "Passover from Soulfulness into Spirituality" (2015).

Two of his books, "Neither Will I Tell You..." and "Only One Thing Is Needed" are translated in English and available as kindle editions (e-book).

The book "Neither Will I Tell You..." recently has been published in Romanian and Bulgarian language.

He founded the Orthodox magazine “Premin” (Passover), published for fifteen years now.

He is a founder of the Centre for Prevention and Cure of Addiction Illnesses "St. Elizabeth the New-martyr", in Strumica, and the Therapeutic Center “Pokrov” (Protection) in the village of Vodocha.