Macedonia: land of dialogue
The Focolare Community is present even in the small Balkan republic visited by Pope Francis from 5 to 7 May. Mato Mikulec spoke to us about the Community’s contribution towards this event. 
“Dialogue has always been one of this country’s main characteristics, and in the Focolare Community one comes across both Christian (Catholics and Orthodox) and Muslim members”. Mato Mikulec, one of the first Focolare members in Skopje, was born in Croatia, but he moved to Macedonia 30 years ago because of work. He lived the Pope’s visit with anxiety and great joy. He said: “As Francis has peripheries so much at heart, he came to support and encourage this country’s small Catholic community; yet he did not come only for this. He considers all men to be precious and he came as everyone’s friend. The Pope really appreciates the spirit of tollerance and of peaceful coexistence that mark this people”. Mato now considers Macedonia as his homeland; the majority of the population (64%) is Macedonian, then there are also Albanians (25%) and Turks (4%); the rest come from other different countries. The two main religions are Christianity and Islam; 99% of the Christians belong to the Orthodox Church while the remaining 1% are Catholics that belong to the Western and Eastern rites. History tells us that Macedonia’s Christian tradition dates back to the time of the Apostle Paul. Later there were other evangelizers who contributed towards the spread of Christianity; among these, the two brothers, Cyril and Methodius who worked among the Slavs during the ninth century. There were many others who influenced the religious and cultural development of the Slavic peoples, but the Balkan region also experienced the painful division between Churches and the powerful dominion of rulers, such as the Ottomon rule that lasted for more than 500 years. Mato continued:“But the people still managed to preserve certain values, such as religiousness, openness to diversity and a keen aspiration to communion. So it is not surprising that such a beautiful flower as Mother Theresa bloomed in this country”. He related that it was Kiro Stojanov, the local Bishop and state authorities who invited Pope Francis to visit Macedonia, while he explained: “Here, we have a very beautiful tradition; every year a State delegation goes to Rome to visit St Cyril’s tomb which lies at St. Celement Basilica. Representatives of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches also join this delegation, and an audience with the Holy Father is included in the programme. It was on this occasion that the Pope was invited to visit us”. He also spoke to us about the first years of the Focolare Movement in Macedonia and Kosovo. He said that the first contacts started in the 70’s when Antonio Petrilli, one of the first focolarini went there to visit Luka Cirimotić, a friend of his who was a priest. In the 80’s a family from Zagreb went to settle in Skopje and thus the first community started to grow; in it there were youths and adults, families and religious, members of different Churches and religions and also persons with no particular religious conviction. It was thanks to Bishop Kiro Stojanov’s commitment, that the female Focolare in Skopje was set up in 2006. The opening of this focolare was the last one to have Chiara Lubich’s personal approval before she passed away. Mato continued: “We realize that diversity is not an obstacle to sincere communion and fraternity, and that these become more visible and more appreciated even by leaders of various religious communities. For us, Focolare members, the Pope’s visit was a moment of special joy. We think that the Pope felt the love and communion among us, while he conveyed the new face and embrace of a Church where even our community has its place”.
Stefania Tanesini
