Macedonian Albanian in North Macedonia

The Macedonian Albanian have only been reported in North Macedonia
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The collapse of Albania and the communist regime in 1991 brought on numerous traumatic and rapid changes in Albania and neighboring Macedonia, leaving the people under the communist regime with an identity crisis. The emigration between the countries, resulted in the Macedonian people struggling to find their identity in a country, Albania.

Albania is the only neighboring country which recognizes the status of Macedonian ethnic minority but restricts it to the region of Mala Prespa. The part of Macedonia known as Mala Prespa was given to Albania by the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. However, the Albanian government excludes Macedonians living in other areas, especially in Golo Brdo, who are mainly Muslim.

Their greatest concentration is in the border regions of Golo Brdo, Mala Prespa and Debar. There are also a large number of Macedonians who live in Tirana, Pogradec, Korce, Kavaje, and Elbasan and Gora areas.

Even though all of them speak Macedonian, the second and third generation has moved away from speaking their traditional language and now most of them speak Albanian only.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The areas where Macedonians live are extremely poor and many survive as day laborers in the Republic of Macedonia. Elementary education is provided in Macedonian, and efforts are underway to extend this to people with ethnic affiliation throughout the country.

There are several organized and active associations of Macedonians in Albania, of which the major four are Mir (Peace), Gora, MED (Macedonian Aegean Society) and Prespa. Most of the Macedonian organizations united into the political party called Macedonian Alliance for European Prosperity, which sealed their political influence.

The Macedonians of Albania also have their own journal that circulates among the population. A radio and TV program in Macedonian is also broadcast by the Korca state radio and TV station. The programs which comprise news bulletins and songs in Macedonian for the Macedonian minority in Albania are broadcast for half an hour each day.


Albanians have a spiritual worldview that is affected by superstition, Islam, and atheism.
What Are Their Beliefs?

Macedonians in the Prespa region are Eastern Orthodox Christian and those in Golo Brdo are predominantly Muslim. Macedonians in more southerly regions share the Orthodox Christian faith with the high concentration of Albanian Orthodox believers of these regions, as well as local Aromanians and Greeks who are largely Orthodox. In the northern region, the proportion of Muslim Macedonians increases with the proportion of Muslim Albanians. The Macedonian Muslims are found primarily in the Gollobordë, Gora and Peshkopi regions, with smaller populations in the south of the country in places such as Rajca.


What Are Their Needs?

There is a great discontent among the Macedonians that not all sections of the community have access to mother tongue education, if they fall outside of areas categorized as minority zones. The members of the minority groups living outside the designated areas have difficulty registering their ethnic belonging in the civil registry thereby resulting in delayed or no access to their due rights.

The denationalization and forced assimilation of the people into Albanians have given way to limited freedom and human rights for the Macedonians living in Albania compared to other countries. Numerous human rights violation is also reported on an ongoing basis.


Prayer Points

Pray for the economic upliftment of the Macedonians who struggle to make ends meet.

Pray that their cry for justice and rights as ethnic minority will be taken seriously by the Albanian Government and international organizations.

Pray for the few Albanian believers to be filled with the love and the power of the Holy Spirit so they will be equipped to preach, teach and disciple.

Pray that Bibles will be effectively distributed throughout Macedonia and have a strong spiritual impact.

Pray for the effectiveness of the JESUS Film in Macedonia.

Pray for Macedonian Outreach, an organization that aims to reach the Macedonians in the Balkan Peninsula, by meeting the physical needs of the refugees and orphans, by providing education and emergency assistance. They also provide spiritual resources through the distribution of Bibles, Christian supplies, media and literature. They assist churches, Christian workers and any graduating high school student who wishes to take Bible courses.


Scripture Prayers for the Albanian, Macedonian in North Macedonia.


References

http://www.historyofmacedonia.org/MacedonianMinorities/MacedonianMinorityinAlbania.html
https://minorityrights.org/minorities/macedonians/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macedon


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Albanian, Macedonian
People Name in Country Albanian, Macedonian
Natural Name Macedonian Albanian
Pronunciation mae-she-DOH-nee-un al-BAY-nee-un
Alternate Names
Population this Country 521,000
Population all Countries 521,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 10
People ID 21527
ROP3 Code 118333
ROP25 Code 300207
ROP25 Name Albanian
Country North Macedonia
Region Europe, Eastern and Eurasia
Continent Europe
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Country North Macedonia
Region Europe, Eastern and Eurasia
Continent Europe
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Map of Albanian, Macedonian in North Macedonia
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
100.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Albanian, Gheg (521,000 speakers)
Language Code aln   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Albanian, Gheg (521,000 speakers)
Language Code aln   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Albanian, Gheg

Primary Language:  Albanian, Gheg

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1866-1978)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1869-1990)
Bible-Complete No
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Albanian, Gheg Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Film / Video Rock International: King of Glory Rock International
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Four Spiritual Laws Campus Crusade for Christ
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Walk with the Prophets and meet the Messiah Al Massira
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Albanian, Gheg YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Albanian, Gheg YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Bible: Comic Book Version Super Bible / Comic Bible Society
Text / Printed Matter Cartoon Gospel tract General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Albanian, Gheg Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Campus Crusade for Christ
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Adam Jones - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group location: Joshua Project. Map geography: ESRI / GMI. Map design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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