"Through Facebook I have gathered many friends worldwide," Reverend Gavril tells SBS Macedonian. "Something money can’t buy."
Because Facebook is a social network that's currently free and easily accessible, Reverend Gavril Galev, a tech-savvy monk from Macedonia, says it is priceless in allowing him to gain access to thousands of worshipers and potential followers.
He has now built up over 10,000 friends on his personal Facebook page where he converses with them daily both publicly and privately.
"I am friends with people from many races, religions, professions and we discuss many issues relating to religion, practical aspects of life and positive contributions," he says.
Facebook allows him to access a much larger congregation compared with those that frequent traditional religious establishments. On this, Reverend Gavril says Facebook assists in informing worshipers about activities tied to the religious calendar, boosting attendances at churches and monasteries.
"This promotes the spread of Orthodoxy through growth in the numbers attending church services, Sunday school and theosophical lectures," says Reverend Gavril.
So what was it that turned Gavril from monastic to millennial?
"It initially took place when I departed for Macedonia," says Reverend Gavril. "After having established spiritual contacts with worshippers, and, in order to nurture these by showing a presence during my absence and offer spiritual guidance, I opened my first Facebook account."
“Whilst attending church is a personal choice, Facebook helps with encouraging a zeal for learning more about one’s religion."
He was soon overwhelmed with the positive reaction as he discovered he was filling a hole - there was clearly significant demand out there from an already religiously-engaged social audience.
"To my surprise, not only did they befriend me," says Gavril. "But many other Macedonian worshipers were grateful that a Macedonian clergyman had a Facebook presence where religious issues could be discussed.”
While it might sound as though he's getting paid by Facebook, Reverend Gavril insists that he's just come to appreciate the platform through trial and error alongside other platforms.
“Facebook doesn’t limit the way one communicates and interacts, which Twitter has a tendency to do by way of its shorter messages. It provides a means for open and uninhibited exchange which adds to the learning process for worshipers in general.”
While he's enthusiastic about the social platform though, he warns against devoting all of your time to it.
"I don’t think that Facebook should become a preoccupation," he says.
"It's initial purpose was to assist with making more friends in fields of interest and to share information."
Of course social media isn't always a positive space either and sometimes gains a reputation for creating conflicts and baiting trolls. Galev has advice to offer for those who are experiencing these sort of issues.
"For those friends who at times prove problematic, my only weapon is love," says Galev. "A person doesn’t have to agree with me, nor I with them, however, they musn’t curb my freedom of expression as I must not hinder theirs.
"One way or another it comes down to an exchange of mutual respect.”
Reverend Gavril says that using the medium of Facebook is unique from other types of congregations because, “Whilst attending church is a personal choice, Facebook helps with encouraging a zeal for learning more about one’s religion.
He says it's "giving rise to a fire within one’s heart and love for Christ, which actually, is a practical love that manifests itself through church attendance.
"This is why Facebook is such a good tool in our teachings.”
Listen to Reverend Gavril's full interview (in Macedonian) with SBS Macedonian below:
