![Katolicka Crkva-Skopje (1)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fd/Katolicka_Crkva-Skopje_%281%29.JPG)
The Catholic Church in North Macedonia is part of the worldwide
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
, under the spiritual leadership of the
Pope
The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
in
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus (legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
and is one of the major religious communities that exist on the territory of the Republic of
North Macedonia
North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...
. Catholic believers from North Macedonia mostly include
Albanians
The Albanians (; sq, Shqiptarët ) are an ethnic group and nation native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, culture, history and language. They primarily live in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Se ...
,
Macedonians and
Croats
The Croats (; hr, Hrvati ) are a South Slavic ethnic group who share a common Croatian ancestry, culture, history and language. They are also a recognized minority in a number of neighboring countries, namely Austria, the Czech Republic, G ...
and are most concentrated in the
Skopje Statistical Region
The Skopje Statistical Region ( mk, Скопски Регион; Albanian: Rajoni i Shkupit) is one of eight Statistical regions of North Macedonia. Skopje, located in the north of the country, borders Kosovo to the north. Internally, it border ...
and the
Southeastern Statistical Region
The Southeastern Statistical Region ( mk, Југоисточен Регион) is one of eight statistical regions of North Macedonia. Southeastern, located in the southeastern part of the country, borders Greece and Bulgaria. Internally, it borde ...
of North Macedonia. There are around 20,000 Catholics in the country — around 1% of the total population.
The beginning of Christianity in North Macedonia
In the 6th century, Emperor Justinian I (born in Tauresium, today's Gradište in North Macedonia) advanced the status of Christianity across the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire, and is venerated in both the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. After Justinian I, the next cycle in which Christianity began to spread began in the 9th century, when
Clement of Ohrid
Saint Clement of Ohrid (Bulgarian, Serbian and Macedonian: Свети Климент Охридски, ; el, Ἅγιος Κλήμης τῆς Ἀχρίδας; sk, svätý Kliment Ochridský; – 916) was one of the first medieval Bulgarian ...
and
Saint Naum
Saint Naum (Bulgarian and Macedonian: Свети Наум, ''Sveti Naum''), also known as Naum of Ohrid or Naum of Preslav (c. 830 – December 23, 910) was a medieval Bulgarian writer, enlightener, one of the Seven Apostles of the First Bul ...
instituted the
Ohrid Literary School
The Ohrid Literary School or Ohrid- ''Devol'' Literary school was one of the two major cultural centres of the First Bulgarian Empire, along with the Preslav Literary School (Pliska Literary School). The school was established in Ohrid (in what is ...
during the
Christianization of Bulgaria
The Christianization of Bulgaria was the process by which 9th-century medieval Bulgaria converted to Christianity. It reflected the need of unity within the religiously divided Bulgarian state as well as the need for equal acceptance on the in ...
. At the time, there was a creation of parishes in alignment with the
Archbishopric of Ohrid
The Archbishopric of Ohrid, also known as the Bulgarian Archbishopric of Ohrid
*T. Kamusella in The Politics of Language and Nationalism in Modern Central Europe, Springer, 2008, p. 276
*Aisling Lyon, Decentralisation and the Management of Ethni ...
whose autocephaly was maintained until 1767, when the Turks, influenced by the
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople ( el, Οἰκουμενικὸν Πατριαρχεῖον Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, translit=Oikoumenikón Patriarkhíon Konstantinoupóleos, ; la, Patriarchatus Oecumenicus Constanti ...
, suspend it.
Skopje Catholic bishops
Diocese of Skopje, under whose jurisdiction are believers of the Western or Roman rite is one of the oldest dioceses in the Balkans and its territory historically is not enough investigated. Many important historical facts and unsolved today. To a better overview, church history in these areas could be divided into three main periods.
First period
See also
Diocese of Skopje
![Assumption of Our Lady Church Strumica](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d8/Assumption_of_Our_Lady_Church_Strumica.jpg)
The first period of the Christianity in North Macedonia begins with the appearance of Christianity in Europe. Paul the Apostle was missionary at this time. Christianity was present in these areas illustrated by the fact that the
Council of Nicea (325), signed between the Assembly's fathers, and the Bishop of Dacosta
Scupi
Scupi (''Σκούποι'' in ancient greek) is an archaeological site located between Zajčev Rid (''Зајчев Рид'' 'Rabbit Hill') and the Vardar River, several kilometers from the center of Skopje in North Macedonia. A Roman military camp w ...
(
Skopje
Skopje ( , , ; mk, Скопје ; sq, Shkup) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre.
The territory of Skopje has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC; r ...
) was mentioned as bishop in charge of
Dardania (Europe) province, whose capital is Skopje, and extends from
Niš
Niš (; sr-Cyrl, Ниш, ; names in other languages) is the third largest city in Serbia and the administrative center of the Nišava District. It is located in southern part of Serbia. , the city proper has a population of 183,164, while ...
until
Veles (city)
Veles ( mk, Велес ) is a city in the central part of North Macedonia on the Vardar river. The city of Veles is the seat of Veles Municipality. Veles is the sixth largest Macedonian city with a total population of 43,716 (census 2002). The lar ...
. The existence of the Diocese does not refer to a clearly defined religious organization in the province headed by Bishop and several bishops. This period is called the "golden period" for the province. Later writers' mention showed five dioceses within the province of Dardania.
Pope Gelasius I
Pope Gelasius I was the bishop of Rome from 1 March 492 to his death on 19 November 496. Gelasius was a prolific author whose style placed him on the cusp between Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages.The title of his biography by Walter Ullma ...
sent a letter to the six Dardanian bishops of the time.
Second period
The second period is characterized by turbulent conditions and switch to the ends of these arms in the hands of various new rulers. With the arrival of the Turks a hard time for Christians in these areas arose. Five centuries of Ottoman slavery occasionated severe consequences in the diocese. But in a report in Rome dating from 1584, Skopje is mentioned as Catholic Center.
Third period
This period coincides with the founding of the Congregation de Propaganda Fide in 1622. In this period, the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
devoted more attention to these areas. The apostolic succession of the Catholic Archbishops of Skopje since
Andrea Bogdani
Andrea Bogdani ( sq, Ndre Bogdani; ca. 1600–1683) was an Ottoman scholar of Albanian origin and prelate of the Roman Catholic Church.
Andrea Bogdani was born in the beginning of the 17th century Gur i Hasit near Prizren, Ottoman Empire (moder ...
, an Albanian born in modern day Kosova (1651-1656) until today is continuous. Generally all residential Catholic bishops of Skopje are residential, although many times were forced, because of the Turkish mischief, to change their place of residence, concealing in inaccessible places. Until 1914 Skopje bishops are titled "archbishops". But in a
Concordat
A concordat is a convention between the Holy See and a sovereign state that defines the relationship between the Catholic Church and the state in matters that concern both,René Metz, ''What is Canon Law?'' (New York: Hawthorn Books, 1960 st Ed ...
between
Holy See
The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...
and the Kingdom of Serbs the title of Archbishop was transferred to the bishop of the
Archdiocese of Shkodër-Pult. Its last Archbishop was
Lazër Mjeda
Lazër Mjeda (1869–1935) was an Albanian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, and a member of the Mjeda family.
Biography
Lazër (Llazar) Mjeda was born in Shkodër, Ottoman Empire — present-day Albania — on March 6, 1869. From 1900 to 190 ...
(also an Albanian) in 1921 when was appointed Archbishop of the
Archdiocese of Shkodër-Pult. In 1924, after the devastation of
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, the archdiocese was downgraded to a diocese, and became a suffragan to the
Archdiocese of Vrhbosna. In 2000
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
divided Skopje from
Apostolic Administration of Prizren
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Prizren and Prishtina is an ecclesiastical territory or Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in Kosovo. It is centred in the city of Prizren. It was erected as an Apostolic Administration in 2000, after being split fr ...
and today its jurisdiction extends throughout the territory of North Macedonia.
Macedonian Apostolic Vicariate
In North Macedonia there are Catholics of Byzantine-Catholic rite that fall under the jurisdiction of the Macedonian Apostolic Vicariate.
Macedonian Apostolic Vicariate of the Bulgarians
The movement for liberation and independence gets his swing in mid-19th century, when the whole of Europe is waking to a national consciousness. This movement takes North Macedonia. In the struggle for religious freedom from the Hellenic influence a national spirit in the Macedonian people are waking up and the spirit of ecclesiastical independence from Constantinople Patriarchate arose. Then, a failed request allegiance in various independent churches, trying to free from the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Constantinople ends in a compound of the local Bulgarians with the
Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
in 1859. The center of this movement was the town of
Kilkis
Kilkis ( el, Κιλκίς) is a city in Central Macedonia, Greece. As of 2011 there were 22,914 people living in the city proper, 28,745 people living in the municipal unit, and 51,926 in the municipality of Kilkis. It is also the capital city o ...
, what is known as "Union of Kukush". In 1861,
Bulgarian Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Constantinople
The Bulgarian Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Constantinople (informally Constantinople of the Bulgarians) was the first missionary, pre-diocesan jurisdiction of the Bulgarian Greek Catholic Church ''sui iuris'' (Eastern Catholic of Byzantine ...
was created for the Eastern-Catholic Bulgarians of the
Byzantine Rite
The Byzantine Rite, also known as the Greek Rite or the Rite of Constantinople, identifies the wide range of cultural, liturgical, and canonical practices that developed in the Eastern Christianity, Eastern Christian Church of Constantinople.
Th ...
in European provinces of the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
, including the then region of Macedonia. In 1883 as its off-shoot was created a
Macedonian Apostolic Vicariate of the Bulgarians
The Macedonian Apostolic Vicariate of the Bulgarians ( la, Apostolicus Vicariatus Macedoniaensis Bulgarorum or ''Vicariatus Apostolicus pro Bulgaris Catholicis Macedoniae''), informally ''Macedonia of the Bulgarians'', was one of the missionary, ...
based in
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area, and the capi ...
. Its first appointed Apostolic Vicar was
Lazar Mladenov
Lazar Mladenov ( bg, Лазар Димитров Младенов) (July 11, 1854 – March 4, 1918) was a Bulgarian Orthodox priest and, later, a member of the Bulgarian Uniat Church in the Ottoman Empire and a convert to Eastern Catholicism.
Bi ...
.
Pastoral Vicariate
With the creation of the Apostolic Vicariate of the Bulgarians in North Macedonia, a legal structure of the Catholic Church of the Byzantine rite in North Macedonia was established. Bishop Mladenov indicates a clear direction for the development of the Catholic Church of Eastern Rite. But unfortunate circumstances affected this region: the Ilinden Uprising, the Balkan Wars and
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
reflects negatively to Catholics. After the First World War the Eastern rite Catholics were found in Vardar Macedonia and Strumica region, and the Pope place them under the care of the then Catholic Archbishop of Skopje. On October 19, 1923 with the provision of the Vatican they became an integral part of
Eparchy of Križevci
Eparchy ( gr, ἐπαρχία, la, eparchía / ''overlordship'') is an ecclesiastical unit in Eastern Christianity, that is equivalent to a diocese in Western Christianity. Eparchy is governed by an ''eparch'', who is a bishop. Depending on the ...
and remain as such until 2001.
Apostolic Exarchate
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
on January 11, 2001 in Vatican signed a decree to establish an Apostolic Exarch for Catholics of the Eastern rite in North Macedonia. The first Apostolic Exarch appointed was Monsignor
Joakim Herbut Monsignor Dr. Joakim Herbut (Macedonian language, Macedonian/Serbian language, Serbian: Јоаким Хербут) 14 February 1928 – 15 April 2005) was a Macedonian Catholic prelate. He was bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Skopje, Roman Ca ...
, bishop of the
Diocese of Skopje. The seat of the exarchate is the city of
Strumica
Strumica ( mk, Струмица, ) is the largest city[2002 census results](_blank)
in English and Macedon ...
, and the Assumption Church in this city holds the title of Cathedral.
Eparchy
Pope Francis
Pope Francis ( la, Franciscus; it, Francesco; es, link=, Francisco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the head of the Catholic Church. He has been the bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State since 13 March 2013. ...
on May 31, 2018 elevated the Apostolic Exarchate to the rank of an Eparchy as the
.
Both Catholic institutions in North Macedonia are under the leadership of one person,
Kiro Stojanov
Kiro Stojanov ( mk, Киро Стојанов; born 9 April 1959 in the village of Radovo, Bosilovo Municipality) is the Roman Catholic Bishop of Skopje and the Eparchial Bishop of the Macedonian Catholic Eparchy of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ass ...
, perhaps the only case in the world.
Religious buildings
Roman Catholic Diocese of Skopje
*
Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Skopje)
250px, Sacred Heart Cathedral
The Cathedral of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Skopje (Macedonian: Катедрала "Пресвето срце Исусово" во Скопје, ''Katedrala "Presveto srtse Isusovo" vo Skopje'') is the Roman Cath ...
* Holy Heart of Jesus Church in Bitola
* Saint Cyril and Methodius and Saint Benedict Church in Ohrid
* Catholic Church in
Štip
Štip ( mk, Штип ) is the largest urban agglomeration in the eastern part of North Macedonia, serving as the economic, industrial, entertainment and educational focal point for the surrounding municipalities.
As of the 2002 census, the city ...
Eparchy of the Macedonian Greek Catholic Church
*
Cathedral of Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary (Strumica)
Cathedral of Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary is a Macedonian Greek Catholic Church, Greek Catholic church in Strumica, North Macedonia, that serves as Cathedral of the Macedonian Catholic Eparchy of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in S ...
* Saint Cyril and Methodius Church in Bogdantsi
* Saint Peter and Paul Church in Gevgelija
* Assumption Church in Nova Maala
* Saint Great Martyr George Church - Chanaklija, in Nova Maala
* Saint The prophet Elijah Church in Radovo
*
Saint Cyril and Methodius Church (Petralinci)
*
Saint Nicholas Church (Sekirnik)
* Saint Apostle Paul Church in Paljurci
* Saint Joseph Church in Bistrentsi
References
Sources
*
External links
The Holy See— The Vatican's official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Catholicism in North Macedonia
North Macedonia
North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...
North Macedonia
North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...