KLIMENT

( metropolitan)

Kliment, metropolitan - Nikola Trajkov (1912-1979), first Macedonian metropolitan of Prespa and Bitola, first archpriest of Bitola after the revival of MPC and second Macedonian archpriest: signatory of the Convention decision from 1967 for revival of the autocephalous status of MPC. Before approaching the monastic's orders and hy-rotrony for archpriest of MPC the metropolitan Clement had the name Nikola Trajkov. He was born in 1912 in Bitola. He finished his primary and secondary education in his native city and he studied law in Belgrade and Sofia. He was well known as exceptionally gifted pedagogue in the true sense of the word. In his long-term educational activity he managed to close the history of Macedonian people to his students, who were occupying high positions in the former state administration, culture and the education. Firstly, he worked as a teacher in the high school in Bitola.then as an official at the Historical Archive in Bitola and a judge at the National court in the municipality of Bitola. He amazed the others with his memory and encyclopedia knowledge for a range of tiny details, not only of the significant historical events but also with the history of certain genealogy and the history of specific settlement in our country.

He promoted himself as an activist for revival of MPC He was metropolitan of Prespaand Pelagonia and first archpriest ordained in MPC and after its revocation in 1767. In 1958 he approached the monastic' order at St'Virgin Mary's Church" in Pobozje, Skopje. He wanted to become an erodeacon and priest at St Mina, Skopje. In Bitola, at St Dmitrija he became archimandrite and on 19.06.1959 at St Mina was ordained for arch-priest by the Heads of SPC and MPC German and Dositej and the bishop of Backa Nikan-or. In 1959 in Stip together with archbishop Dositej ordained archimandrite Naum and formed the Holly archpriest synod of the revived MPC. After a long period of sickness in 1979 Clement beatified in Bitola.