Macedonia
History
Macedonia was originally settled by the Greeks, but later conquered by Rome. After the fall of the Roman Empire to Germanic tribes around 400 AD, it came under the control of many other nations and people groups. The Ottoman Empire (Turkish Muslims) controlled Macedonia for 500 years until they were driven out during the Balkans War (1912-1913). The Axis powers occupied Macedonia during World War II, but were pushed out by Communist forces, which claimed Macedonia as part of a unified Yugoslavia under the rule of Josip Broz Tito. In November 1991, eleven years after Titos death, Macedonia declared independence from Yugoslavia. After years of political unease and negotiations with surrounding nations, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia was recognized by the United Nations.
Church History
Christianity reached Macedonia in the early years of the Church thanks to the Apostle Paul. However, after centuries of war and political change, many other religions crept in. Most Macedonians, who identify themselves as ethnic Slavs, belong to the Macedonian Orthodox Church. Ethnic Albanians there are mostly Muslim and account for about 20 percent of the population. Only three percent claim to belong to other religions.
The Movement Today
The volatile mixture of ethnicities and religions in Macedonia makes Pentecostal evangelism difficult and, at times, dangerous. During the 1999 Kosovo Crisis however, Assemblies of God personnel ministered to hundreds of thousands of Kosovar refugees. In the continuing unstable political and social environment, many Macedonians are beginning to respond to the gospel message and the hope that only Christ brings. AGWM missionaries in Macedonia are assisting the spread of the Gospel in church planting, children’s ministries (including Royal Rangers) and leadership training. They report the following statistics: 12 ministers, 17 churches and outstations, and about 1,000 Pentecostal believers.
Additional Facts About Macedonia
- Capital: Skopje
- Area: 9,928 square miles
- Population: 2.1 million
- Languages: Macedonian (official, 70 percent), Albanian (official, 22 percent), Turkish (three percent), Serbo-Croatian (three percent), and others (three percent)
- Ethnic Groups: Macedonian, Albanian, Turkish, Roma and Serb
- Agriculture: Grains, tobacco, corn, cotton, sesame, mulberry leaves, citrus and vegetables
- Industry: Coal, metallic chromium, lead, zinc, ferronickel, textiles, wood products, food processing and buses.
Map
