Skopje Episcopae Justiniana Prima

Basil Chulev

•∘⊕∘•

Skopje (EPISCOPIÆ IUSTINIANA PRIMA) – Episcopal Metropolis of Macedonia in the Old and Middle Ages sir Arthur J. Evans revisited

Skopje, Macedonia 2015

Macedonian Rightfaithful Church – Ohrid Archiepiscopacy

Macedonia is homeland of one of the oldest churches in the world – Ohrid Archiepiscopacy (i.e.

Patriarchate), successor of Justiniana Prima, the third ever officially enthroned autocephalous and apostolic church in the world, descended in today modern Macedonian Righfaithful Church - Ohrid Archiepiscopacy (Mkd.: Makedonska Pravoverna Crkva - Ohridsaka Arhiepiskopija, i.e. MPC-OA).

The Macedonian Rightfaithful Church by succession is one of the first four Ancestral Apostolic churches.1 The bible testifies that in Macedonia was baptized the first ever christian on the European soil – a woman named Lidia from Philipi. In the Macedonian Jerusalem, Ohrid, was founded the first ever known Christian church (St.Erasmo) on European soil in the 3rd century AD, and is the ultimate Holy See of the old Patriarchate Archiepiscopacy of Ohrid, There is also the honorable platea of the first known university in Europe - St. Clement's University on Plaošnik.

Ohrid Patriarchate Archiepiscopacy from 1019 until 1767 found itself subdued under the auspices of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Thenceforth, in 1767, it was uncanonically forbidden by the Turkish occupation authorities, and has passed the following few decades in illegality. It was officially restored as from 1859, by nomination of Partenie Zografski (1820-1876) for Kukush-Poljanski bishop/episcope. This was the first triumph of the renewed indigenous Macedonian Rightfaithful Church - Ohrid Archiepiscopacy in modern times.

In the past Macedonian Rightfaithful Church - Ohrid Archiepiscopacy had under its jurisdiction as much as 32 eparchies. But lets turn back in the ancient times to the very beginning of the story...

1

In explaining the official position of the Roman Catholic Church regarding the primacy of christian churches in Eastern and Western parochies, Roman Pope Nicholas I (858-867) in the distant 859 said: "Roman curia for true churches considers only those which were established by apostles, such as the Macedonian, Roman, Antiochian and Aleksandrian church. Although the church clerics of Constantinople and Jerusalem call themselves 'patriarchs', however, that's without meaning, because they are not regulated by the apostles."

Macedonia between the Ancient and Middle Ages After 4 long Macedonian-Roman Wars, after nearly two centuries long struggle and strategic battles, defeats and victories, in 148 B.C.E. Macedonia was finally defeated by Rome, and large number of Macedonians, together with their king Persei and immense plundered treasure were taken as prisoners of war to Rome and other different parts of the Roman empire. Furthermore, the Romans (by sword and flame) forced in exile from Macedonia across the Danube an estimated 300.000 Macedonians, in order to prevent the possibility of Macedonian people to reenact the claim on their empire as it was during the reign of Filip and Alexander. What was left of the European part of Macedonian empire was divided once again into several parts. Skopje, or Skopis (lat.

Scopis/Σкoπiς/Scupi, as the city was noted back then in the colloquial Latin language of the Roman Empire)2, as one of the greatest settlements was also separated from the Macedonian region of Agriania (in Upper Macedonia). But the city of Skopje itself was actually made a Roman Colony much later, in the time of emperor Hadrian (AD 117–138).

Above: The territory of the Agrianes (rounded in red) in 6-5th century B.C.E. according to dr. Victoria Sokolovska

2

Compare Jornandes' “Sirmis”, Syc. In Ravennas the form “Scupis” occurs, cf. Londinis, Syc. Historia VII.2 (Bonn ed. p. 272): Tà γàp Zaλδaπà кai Aкuς кai Σкoπiς … etc. „Antiquarian Researches in Illyricum. (Parts I & II)”, sir Arthur John Evans. p. 140.

Above: The territorial distribution of the Macedonian communities and areas in Lower (ДОЛНА) and Upper (ГОРНА) Macedonia in the time of Filip II of Macedon.

This institutional gap of almost three centuries was due to the fundamental difficulties of the Romans in enacting functional administration in the occupied regions that were previously devastated by themselves, and due to the relatively slow passage from simple military occupation to civil administration. The civil administration naturally requires participation and collaboration of the local population, but, they actually did spoke different language from the Romans, i.e.

Macedonian, they had different beliefs and gods, different social structure, traditions, etc. And those were insurmountable difficulties between the predatory Romans and occupied by them Macedonians for understandably long period.

The Romans never tried to accept or try to enact a cultural exchange with the conquered nations or tribes occupied by them. All they ever did was destroying and depredating the other people cultures and goods, and annihilating the most weak communities and their traditional values. The intellectual treasures that they couldn’t steal, rip-off and take with them to Rome they simply destroyed. Numerous ancient populations such as the ancient so called “Greeks”3, Carthaginians, Dačians, etc. perished and disappeared from the history during their barbaric devastation and terror.

Nevertheless, their inhuman policy of assimilating everyone and everything by sword and flame 3

This wasn’t the original name of the people this term tends to describe. Homer gave as three collective names for them: Achaeans (used 598 times in Iliad), Danaans (used 138 times in Iliad) and Argives (used 29 times in Iliad). At any rate, "Graeci" and "Graecia" owed their introduction practically to the Romans.

was later even adopted by one of their victims, i.e. the christians, when they finally succeed in coming to power at the end of the Roman empire in the fourth century AD.

Above: The actual geo-political division of the Roman provinces in the Balkans. Despite the continuous changing and renaming of area after area on several occasions, throughout the centuries they remained generally in the same boundaries as administrative regions under Romeian and later under Turkish rule until the 19th century and creation of the new nationstates

Beside the displacement of large portions of Macedonian population, Romans repeatedly committed divisions of their territory under various provinces, areas and names. Skopje was either in Macedonia or Upper Moesia, or Dacia Mediterranea (i.e. "Dardania"). Then east Kosovo was separated from Upper Moesia in Diocese Dacia, and together with Skopje valley was added to the new province of Dardania.

Quote: „There's in fact, clear historic evidence that, according to the original arrangement of emperor Aurelian, Dardania was tacked on to Dacia Mediterranea, insomuch that in the early lists of the provinces of the Moesian diocese, as given by the M.S. of Verona, Rufus and Polemius Silvius, Dardania and Dacia Mediterranea are given indifferently as name of the one and the same province.4 At some time after the completion of the list of Polemius Silvius and before that of 4

Authorial remark: legitimate and logical suspicion arouses on the Latin name „Dardania” as diminutive vulgar form (or abbreviation) for Dacia Mediterranea (Dardania/DaciaMediterranea), or „Dardania” as synonym for smaller region of Dacia Mediterranea, seen that Dardania and Dacia

Notitia, the province which bore the double name of Dardania and Dacia Mediterranea was divided into the two provinces of Dardania as we find it in Hierocles, with Scopis as it's Metropolis, and Dacia Mediterranea under Sredec (Serdica). But it is obvious from this that there may have been a time when, as the later ecclesiastical arrangement indicates, Skopje was the political and cultural Metropolis of Dacia Mediterranea which included the later separated Dardania.

In the Notitia itself Dardania continues to be reckoned along with Dacia Mediterranea and Ripensis, Moesia Prima, Praevalitana, and a part of Macedonia Salutaris, as one of the "Five Dacias" which had now replaced the "Three Dacias" of original Trans-Danubian province.” 5 Skopje became administrative, cultural, economic and religious center of the entire region. In the year AD 313, following the Edict of Milan, it became the see of the episcopate. The full extent of the Roman colony in Skupi/Scopis (or Scupensis) is largely unknown, even after significant archaeological excavations. More recent excavations by the Museum of Skopje have uncovered parts of the city wall (much damaged) with two towers (as marked on the map of Pevtinger; lat.

Tabula Peutingeriana, 4-5 century) and early Roman residential construction from the 2nd and 3rd century. The wall is roughly 12 m high and 3.6 m thick.6 They also concluded from the identified remains that the outer limit of the urban area was far bigger than suspected. But it is obvious, as indicated by later church documents, that there was a long period of time when Skopje was the central political and christian metropolis in the Roman provinces in Macedonia and the larger area of Balkans, as clearly shown in many different maps that describe the administrative subdivision of the Roman Empire in those times.

Mediterranea are given by different sources indifferently as name of the one and the same province. „Antiquarian Researches in Illyricum. (Parts I & II)”, sir Arthur John Evans. p. 139.

5

„Antiquarian Researches in Illyricum. (Parts I & II)” by sir Arthur John Evans, p. 139.

6

http://archaeologica.org.mk/mk/zanimlivost.php?id=2048

Diocese Macedonia Skopje as central junction part of the Dioceses of Macedonia and Dacia already existed long before the nomination as archiepiscopacy Justiniana Prima by Justinian I the Great. Skopje bishop is mentioned already in AD 347 as a participant in the church assembly in Sredets (today Sofia), then again in AD 379, when it was transformed into temporary Romeian capital during the military campaign against the Goths lead by the emperor Theodosius, who resides in Scopis (Skopje). Here he dictates an edict (a new law), and mentions the city again in AD 388.7 The continued importance of this city as a Romeian military stronghold appears from the Notitia Imperii, where the mobile army units from Skopje (lat. Comitatenses Scupenses) are mentioned among the reserve units (lat. Legiones Pseudocomitatenses) under the command of the Magister Militum per Illyricum.8 It occupied the central juncture of what has always been the main highway of communication between Central and Western Europe and Eastern Rome (the city of Constantin), the most important ancient route in Macedonia – Via Axia, or the „Axis Road“, which name can be detected from the Latin name for the river Vardar (or Bardarios) – Axios (i.e. axis, axle). Along its valley goes the most ancient corridor that continues further north through the valley of river Morava

Above: The sketchy drawing of the 3 main Balkan routes in ancient Roman times

as northern branch of Via Egnatia, and was and still is the chief route between the Aegean Sea (or Belo More, i.e. „White Sea“ in plain Macedonian) and the middle Danubian region. Via Axis was connected to Via Egnatia on the South, and passing through Stobi (another important center of 7

Cod. Theod. De Palatinis 1.2, dated "Scopis". „Antiquarian Researches in Illyricum. (Parts I & II)” by sir Arthur John Evans, p. 128.

8

„Antiquarian Researches in Illyricum. (Parts I & II)” by sir Arthur John Evans, p. 132.

Macedonia Seconda)9, Skopis (Skopje), continues to north into Moesia, where it was connected to Via Diagonalis10 and further to river Danube. „During those times when the Balkans were undivided by ethnic and ideological cleavages, these roads represented the nerve system of this unity, this ecumene. The anonymous pilgrim who described in AD 333 the Itinerarium Burdigalense found organised roads in the Balkans, complete with places where he could rest, refresh himself and change mounts.“ 11 On the map of Pevtinger (Tabula Peutingeriana, 4-5 century) Skopje is marked by the two towers of the city’s Praetorian Gate, as an important station on the ancient Roman road. These antique ‘highways’ are fully functional to this day: if traveling by land – one still leads all the way through today's Albania to Drach (Durrës), and other through Nish and Belgrade to Illyria (B&H, Croatia and Slovenia) and to present-day Italy. According to the Table, the Via Egnatia connected back to the Via Diagonalis at a common end point and had no direct links with Constantinopole.

Up until January AD 379, date of a decree by emperor Gratian, civil administrations in the Dioceses of Macedonia and Dacia were part of the Western Roman Empire and were only effectively separated from the west during the partition between Valentinian II and Theodosius. The final division of the Roman empire was officially put in effect by Theodosius in AD 395. But, by retaining the Diocese Macedonia within the Western part through the church institution, even if Macedonia never was close neither geographically, nor culturally to the Western Latin empire, Theodosius tried to compensate for the imbalance between the two new entities. This was due to the central and crucial position of Macedonia in the Macedonian peninsula, and was meant as counterweight for the cardinal position of Konstantinopolitana Nova Roma. Thus, Diocese Macedonia remained within the interest sphere of Western Roman empire through the politically biased Roman-catholic church as resumed protraction of the Roman occupation. But this artificial position was unsustainable and never realistic. Nontheless, Western Roman church continued to excercise its claim over the Diocese Macedonia through the eparchies that were still more or less under the jurisdiction of the papal vicariate in Solun (lat. Thessaloniki). To this avail Diocese Macedonia was even renamed by the Western Roman church into “Eastern Illyricum” Diocese, in order to fetch it to the Illyricum on the Adratic coast, and this Roman-Latin name was meant for instauration of the exarchate (extraterritorial) church, in attempt to rearrange and undermine the growing power of the Constantinople Holy See and its influence in Macedonia and further.

Nevertheless, this artificial exarchate attempt largely failed due to the natural and factual independence of the Macedonian Diocese and its eparchies, and thanks to the inexcusable violation of the eclesiastic rules by the Papal church in Rome in an attempt to forcibly apply its rule over churches in Macedonia. Namely, the pope Siricius (384-399) tempted with violation of the 6th rule of the First Church Synod from AD 325, by uncanonically giving higher eclesiastic powers to the archbishop Anisius of Solun over other episcopacies and by imposing unprecedented centralization over Diocese Macedonia (i.e. “Eastern Illyricum” Diocese). His attempt largely failed and provoked unanimous rebellion among the Macedonian bishops and episcopacies.

9

„DACIA MEDITERRANEA & MACEDONIA SECUNDA IN THE 6th CENTURY: A QUESTION OF INFLUENCE ON CHURCH ARCHITECTURE” by Carolyn S. Snively, p. 219.

10

Via Diagonalis or Via Militaris (both names are modern, but the first is more indicative as well as more topographic) was another very important artery connecting the East with the West, leading from Constantinopole through today Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, to Italy and Rome. What has been proven is that the Via Diagonalis from Carnuntum on the Austrian Danube was connected directly to the Amber Road. „Overland Balkan Routes in the Middle Ages“ by Fabrizio Vanni.

Centro Studi Romei of Florence.

10

„Overland Balkan Routes in the Middle Ages“ by Fabrizio Vanni. Centro Studi Romei of Florence.

After the fall of Rome and the last emperor of Rome Romulus Augustulus was deposed in AD 476, also the position and power of the western church was heavily undermined. The final blow came by Odoecar, the barbaric ruler of the Visigoths that burned down the city of Rome, who totally disregarded the church of Rome and instead recognized and bowed to the suzerainty of the emperor in Constantinople. How low the church in Rome was degraded can be seen by the act of the Constantinople Patriarch Acacius, who in AD 483 excommunicated the pope in Rome and erased his name from the holy diptych. The other eparchies and dioceses, like the Archiepiscopate of Solun (i.e. Thessaloniki), followed the decisions of the patriarch in Constantinopolitana Nova Roma, and the western-church vicariate of Solun was closed down too. This was the first great schism between the Eastern and Western churches and it lasted until AD 519.

But, the western church, even though drastically marginalized and humiliated by the devastating circumstances, didn’t perish under the barbaric regression, and managed to survive and re-emerge again even in these harsh conditions. The first reinvigorated attempt of the Holy See in Rome to regain its lost exarchate power in overseas Dalmatia, Dardania and Ohrid (lat. Lychnidus) was noted already in AD 493. In a letter to these episcopes the pope Gelasius instigates them to return the primacy to the Holy See in Rome. These new efforts of Rome to regain its lost positions in Macedonia and wider Balkans were promptly suppressed by the emperor Anastasius I, who imprisoned the priests that attempted to question the jurisdiction of the holy see in Constantinople.

The centrality and strategic importance of Skopje Diocese in those times is seen in one of these correspondence letters between the local bishop John in AD 492 to Pope Gelasius. Quote: „It appears, namely, from the letter addressed in 492 by John, Metropolitan of Scupi, to Pope Gelasius, in his quality as bishop of the metropolitan city of Scopinae: "Episcopius (as he styles himself) Sacrosanctæ Ecclesiæ Scopinæ, Metropolitanæ Civitatis," he claimed a supremacy not only over the bishops of Dardania in its contemporary official sense but over other bishops who sign beneath him, one of whom was Bonosus, bishop of no less a place than Serdica, the capital of Dacia Mediterranea. But the Rome efforts to regain its influence in Macedonia weren’t completely unsuccessful. Later in AD 553 we find from the acts of the Fifth Synod of Constantinople that the bishops of Naissus and Ulpiana had refused to attend the Synod and sided with pope Vigilius, and when appealed to on the subject refer the synod to their Archbishop Benenatus.“12 In view of this fact the letter addressed by pope Gregory the Great in AD 595 to Felix, Bishop of Sredets (lat.

Serdica), enjoining him to obey his superior, and the position of the Pope's vicar, Johannes, Bishop of Justiniana Prima, acquires a fresh significance.

12

„Antiquarian Researches in Illyricum. (Parts I & II)” by sir Arthur John Evans, p. 138.

Skopje - Diocese Justiniana Prima The unnatural “dislocation” of Diocese Macedonia within the interest sphere of Western Roman empire, and later through the protracted political bias of the Roman-catholic church as resume of the Roman occupation, was unsustainable and never realistic. The centenial Roman attempts to “Latinize” the Macedonic populace had largely failed. This artificial status quo heredited by the old Roman empire was justifiably and finally revoked by Justinian I the Great, who put an end of the informal western-latin authority by establishing the Archiepiscopacy of Justiniana Prima.

Justinian I the Great was the most powerful, totalitarian and absolutist emperor of both the Eastern Romeian empire and the Christian Church. After Theodosius he was the emperor who contributed mostly for the diffusion of christianity. He also exerted overall reorganization of the church institution, and to that avail he issued 34 Novellas (new laws) in total, that consider the church institution and its internal and external affairs. He was the absolute ruler and in the same time the highest patriarch of the church as well. In short, under his rule the authority of the church meant the authority of himself, he was the Pontifex Maximus and Supreme Patriarch of the both kingdoms, earthly and heavenly, and through him the spiritual and the imperial power became one. It’s beyond any doubt that no ruler before or after him had the so overwhelming power over the church institution. He waged a series of Holy Wars and reconquisted large parts of the former old Roman empire and imposed his hegemony across the whole Mediterranean. As gifted theologist he was actively involved in the church affairs and was recognized as Supreme Archbishop by the church clerics themselves. On the great Church Synod in AD 535 the presiding bishop stated that “There is nothing on this earth that can be done without the will and order of the emperor.”

Above: Map of the administrative division of Roman provinces in the Balkans on Dioceses (episcopacie) in the 6th century (AD 535). Justinian I the Great in that moment

institutes Justiniana Prima in Skopje, Diocese of Macedonia, as supreme episcopacy that over-ranks all the other Balkan eparchies and episcopacies in order to counterbalance the growing influence of the church of Rome, which spread along the Eastern Adriatic coast (Dalmatia) and through northwest reached Singidunum (modern Belgrade)

The Eastern-Romeian emperor Justinian I the Great instaured the Metropolitan Autocephalous Episcopacy Justiniana Prima in Skopje in AD 535 of the 6th century, as a central capital of the newly intended buffer-zone, meant to further diminishing the influence of the old Rome and its church.13 In his law Novella XI from 14 April 535, entitled "De privilegiis archiepiscopi primæ iustinianæ" (or "Concerning the rights of the archbishop of Justiniana Prima"), Justinian I honored his birthplace by establishing there an archiepiscopal see, and he defined the status and jurisdiction of the new archbishop. This law constituted an attack against the power of the archbishop of Solun and through him against the pope in Rome. Emperor describes it in his Novela as part of the province Dacia Mediterranea and in Novella 11 – Macedonia Secunda was listed among the territories subject to the archbishop of Justiniana Prima. The newly inaugurated Archbishop of Justiniana Prima, Katelian (lat. Catelianus), received ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the provinces of: 1) Dacia Mediterranea itself (hence one of the arguments that Justiniana Prima was located in Dacia Mediterranea), 2) Dacia Ripensis, 3) Moesia Secunda, 4) Dardania (which was actually a part of Dacia Mediterranea), 5) Praevalitana, 6) Macedonia Secunda, and 7) part of Pannonia Secunda, i.e. he acquired ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the whole Diocese of Dacia with minor additions.14 Even more, Justinian I the Great, as a Supreme Patriarch of the Eastern Roman empire, elevated the newly instaured holy see of the Apostolic and Autocephalus Macedonian church on the third place by rank, right after Rome and Constantinople. The first reaction of his only ecclesiastic opponent at the time, the pope Agapit I in Rome, was absolutely negative. But already his very successor, the pope Vigilius, gave his agreement and benediction for the third holy see in Skopje.

Thus, the Justiniana Prima was inaugurated “in perpetuum” as the third ever official Autocephalous Apostolic Church. Its elevated status and privileges where definitely confirmed on the Fifth Universal Synod of the Church, where in AD 553 the instauration of Justiniana Prima was institutionally proclaimed and affirmed by the highest church instances.

It is important to note here, for the sake of argument, the wrong assumption of the Serbian scholars which tend to promote the archaeological site of Caričin Grad as the possible location of the Justiniana Prima. If, however, construction at Caričin Grad began only after Novella 11 was issued in the year AD 535, it seems quite likely that the city would have been a busy and confusing construction site for at least a decade after 535.15 Another strong discharge of Caričin Grad as supposed location of Justiniana Prima is the observation of the famous archaeologist Ivan Mikulčić. He noted the peculiar small dimensions of Caričin Grad (only 7 hectares) and absence of large squares and fountains, which contradicts the numerous written testimonies of the Roman authors. He noted also the lack of nearby military strongholds noted around Justiniana Prima. For example, Procopius tells us that: „ …beyond the borders of Epidamnians, very near the castle called Baderiana, is the district named Tauresium, 13

Skopje flourished under the reign of Justinian I the Great, born Petruš Upravda, son of Istok (see Jovan Dragašević , GEOGRAPHY, 1871; p.114), from the nearby village of Taor (Tauresium).

14

„DACIA MEDITERRANEA & MACEDONIA SECUNDA IN THE 6th CENTURY: A QUESTION OF INFLUENCE ON CHURCH ARCHITECTURE” by Carolyn S. Snively, p. 216.

15

„DACIA MEDITERRANEA & MACEDONIA SECUNDA IN THE 6th CENTURY: A QUESTION OF INFLUENCE ON CHURCH ARCHITECTURE” by Carolyn S. Snively, p. 218.

from which the Emperor Justinian, the re-founder of the Roman world, drew his origin. Here the Emperor erected a small quadrangular castle with a tower at each angle, from which it was called "Tetrapyrgia," and near it he built a most glorious City, which he called Justiniana Prima.“ There are no such objects anywhere close to the Caričin Grad. On contrary, the villages that formed around these military strongholds still exist near Skopje, and they bear the very same names even today - Bader and Taor (respectively Baderiana and Tauresium).

Ten years later, in AD 545, emperor Justinian makes strange move and re-orders the jurisdiction of the church in Skopje to be put again under the competence of the Diocese of Rome, and the archbishop of Justiniana Prima was also promoted into a papal vicar. This move was probably due to the large portion of Latinized population of the then Skopje, but also because of the obvious intention of the emperor to put under his direct control the growing influence of the church in Rome. His intention was to obtain full acceptance of his newly elevated autocephalous church by giving it in management to those who opposed it. Lets not forget – during the rule of Justinian I the Great, Rome was in subordinate position, basilicas with a baptisteries were built by him in Ravenna and as far as Tharros in Sardinia, and Eastern Roman Empire ruled from Constantinople the entire Mediterranean and Asia Minor. A related issue is that the majority of churches in the province(s) of Macedonia, with a few exceptions earlier and later, were built between AD 460 and the middle of the 6th century.16 But, old Rome has slowly recovering from the devastations suffered in 410, 455 and 476,17 when the last emperor of the West Roman empire, Romulus Augustulus was deposed and city of Rome was repeatedly sacked and destroyed, especially by the Vandals and Visigoths.

16

„DACIA MEDITERRANEA & MACEDONIA SECUNDA IN THE 6th CENTURY: A QUESTION OF INFLUENCE ON CHURCH ARCHITECTURE” by Carolyn S. Snively, p. 217

17

In the AD 5th century the ancient Roman empire has finally crumbled, and the last emperor of the West Roman empire, Romulus Augustulus, was deposed. The city of Rome was repeatedly sacked and destroyed,

Generally, after the decline of the older churches in Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem, the Episcopacy Justiniana Prima was the third in order consecutive autocephalous and apostolic archiepiscopacy in absolute. The first two were Rome in Italy and the City of Constantine "New Rome" (Consantinopolitana Nova Roma), which already, through the centuries passing, gained their recognition as spiritual and administrative centers of Western and Eastern church respectively.18 And like Rome and Constantinopolitana Nova Roma it was instaured at the spot where previously already existed a big city and regional administrative center. Accordingly, the Macedonian language later became the third Official Liturgical Language after the Septuagint and Latin.19

Above: Konstantinopolitana Nova Roma especially by the Vandals, Visigoths and Franks. Italy was retaken from the barbarians under the rule of Justinian I the Great in AD 554, when the last Franks were defeated in the battle of Casilinum, North Italy.

18

Before Constantinopolitana Nova Roma and Justiniana Prima there were other older Apostolic churches of greater importance in Asia Minor and North Afrika, like the Antiochian, Alexandrian an Jerusalem patriarchate, but due to the Arabic invasions they gradually lost their power and importance, and contributed to the rise of Constantinople into holy see par excellence.

19

Firstly promoted by Constantinople through the Glagolitic Script and later reformed and modernized in the 9th century by St. Cyril (thereafter renamed by his disciples into Cyrillic), it was also officially recognized by the Roman Curia and finally proclaimed as the liturgical script and language by the Pontifical legate in AD 863 on the Great Moravia court in Velegrad. With the bull* "Industriae tuae", which appointed (St.) Methodius from Macedonia as archbishop of Great Moravia, and allowed him to serve the mass in Macedonic (i.e. Old Church Slavonic) language. * a papal edict.

Below: Part of the ancient Roman Aqueduct of Skopje

Skopje of that time is de facto and de jure the largest city in Upper Macedonia and beyond, with many urban structures scattered all around. Nearby is the village of Taor (Tauresium) – the birthplace of Justinian, then there’s the old Roman military post "Tetrapyrgia" - the watchtower, or so-called "frurion" Baderiana, and the big old fortress Crnche (today popularly known as "Marko's Towers") on the slopes of Mt.Vodno.20 Beside those there are the ruins of ancient Scupi, then the fortress of Kale in the central hill above the downtown Skopje, as well as the ruins of another big fortress, again on the slopes of Mt.Vodno, at the locality called Sovče. Wherever there’s a construction works – some old structure, old walls, basilicas, etc. sprung from underground. Many of these structures were destroyed due to two catastrophic earthquakes that hit the city of Skopje: one back in AD 518, and another in 1963.

20

The Old Skopje acropolis was destroyed in the catastrophic earthquake in AD 518. And it is from this period that the city migrated from its old site to the new. The old position of Skopje with its broad plain reflected the characteristics of the ancient civilized age, when the cities were built in the flatlands. But the character of the times has changed drastically. As the Mongolian invasions followed, the age of medieval castle building had begun and strong natural positions, the peak and the promontory, were sought for civic foundation.

After the inauguration of Katelian as the first Archbishop of Justiniana Prima in line of succession followed the Archbishops Benenat of Skopje (lat. Benenatus Scupensis) in AD 553, and Jovan (lat.

Johanes) in AD 591-602, as reported by J. Zellier.21 Under jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Archbishop of Skopje Diocese (i.e. Justiniana Prima) in different times or all together were the: episcopacy of Nish (Naisus), episcopacy of Sredets (today Sofia) – at one time the capital of the Roman province of Dacia Mediterranea; episcopacy Ulpiana (Justiniana Seconda on Kosovo Pole), episcopacy of Ratiaeria Danubiana, episcopacy of Bitola (lat. Episcopia Bouteleos), Solun’s Diocese of Aegean Macedonia (Macedonia Seconda), and episcopacy of Kutmichevica (Praevalitana Bishopric, present-day central Albania). So, Metropolitan bishops in Skopje covered the area from the Adriatic coast on the West - to the Mt. Haemus (Mkd. Stara Planina) on the East, and North from the Danube - to the south in Thessaly.

Skopje Diocese Justiniana Prima due to assimilation, separatism and discrepancies of the various eparchies that once belonged to her, the fall of the emperor Maurice (that had been killed in 602, following a mutiny among the Danube forces), and under the pressure of the Mongolian and other barbaric invasions from the north, in the same year, AD 602, retreated to Ohrid and became known as Ohrid Archiepiscopacy. Quien and Farlati, for example, identify Justiniana Prima with Ohrid (lat. Lychnidos) and New Epirus.22 The last structures of the church organization from the (old) Justiniana Prima in northern Balkans vanished after 614.23 But even if heavily diminished in eparchies and cornered in Ohrid, it still continued to be the only reliable great see of christianity in 21

"Les origines chrétiennes dans les provinces Danubiennes de l'Empire Romain" by Jacques Zeiller, 1967.

22

"Les origines chrétiennes dans les provinces Danubiennes de l'Empire Romain" by Jacques Zeiller, 1967, p.385 footnote: "Oriens christianus" vol.II p.281.

23

"The Church in the Final Period of the Late Roman Danubian Provinces" by Alexandru Madgearu, 2010.

Macedonia and the rest of the Balkans. We can see that from the Bulgarian proper, where the official liturgical language of the Bulgar Archiepiscopate remained the language of the Romeians from Constantinople until AD 893, when it was replaced with the Macedonic liturgical language and reformed Glagolitic Script that was used by Ohrid Archiepiscopate. This modified Glagolitic Script, later renamed "Cyrillic" by the St. Klement disciples, soonafter reached the Kievan Russia’ where became the official script too, and from there spread across other areas in East Europe, Asia and Africa (see Coptic).

During the reign of Tsar Samoil (969-1018) Ohrid Archiepiscopacy recovered again and became more influential, due to the renewed relationship with the Roman papal state from which the new emperor asked and obtained recognition, and also because of the followers of self-created popular church - the Bogomils24, which were the greatest supporters for the Macedonian independency from Constantinople, and accordingly the followers of Bogomilism became the constituent part of Samoil’s state church on the territory of Macedonia. But the growing and renewed power and independence of the Macedonian Rightfaithful Church - Ohrid Archiepiscopacy under Samoil rule was cruelly suppressed by the Romeian Emperor Basil II (he too born Macedonian from Adrianople), who destroyed Samoil’s empire, and put once again the Macedonian church with all its eparchies under the control of Constantinopolitana Nova Roma, but with almost total independence.

For different periods before, during, and after Samoil’s rule, the see of Ohrid Archiepiscopacy was situated in the city of Prilep as well.

After the collapse of Samoil's Macedonian state the Archiepiscopacy of Ohrid passed under Basil’s rule in the year of 1018, and the emperor issued three bills to this end. Following the wise policy of his predecessor Justinian I the Great Basil II re-confirmed to the Ohrid Archiepiscopacy its ecclesiastical provinces, thirty-one in total, including: 1. Ohrid-Prespa eparchy (Archiepiscopacy); 2. Kostur eparchy; 3. Vutron eparchy in southern Arbania; 4. Irakliska (Bitola) eparchy with Pelagonia, Prilep, Veles and Debar; 5. Meglenska eparchy; 6. Strumička eparchy with Radoviš; 7. Morodvis (Bregalnička) eparchy with Maleševo and Štip (lat. Astibo); 8. Velbužd (today Kyustendil) eparchy; 9. Sredec (today Sofia) eparchy; 10. Niš (lat. Naisus) eparchy; 11. Branichevska eparchy along the Morava valley with Smederevo; 12. Belgrade (lat. Singidunum) eparchy; 13. Srem (lat. Sirmium) eparchy; 14. Skopje (lat. Scupensis/Scupi) eparchy; 15. Prizren eparchy; 16. Lipljan eparchy (lat. Ulpiana, i.e. Justiniana Seconda) with Kosovo Pole; 17. Ras (Raška) eparchy; 24

The first actual Protestant church in Europe. Severely oppressed and persecuted, as equaly condemned and excommunicated by both Eastern-Rightfaithful and Western-Catholic church. See: THE MACEDONIAN GENIUS THROUGH THE CENTURIES by Giorgio Nurigiani.1972, pp. 64,67,68. Also: The Bogomils: A Study in Balkan Neo-Manichaeism" by Dimitri Obolensky. 1948, pp.151,259: "From the combined evidence of geografical factors, of indirect historical data and of later sources, which must now be examined, it is possible to prove that the cradle and subsequent stronghold of Bogomilism in the Balkans was Macedonia."

18. Belgrade (today Berat in Albania) eparchy in Nova Epirus; 19. Vidin eparchy; 20. Kozil eparchy; 21. Oroshka eparchy west of Prizren; 22. Drinopole eparchy in Arbania with Argirocastro; 23. Imerska eparchy in Arbania north of Corfu; 24. Glavenička eparchy with Devol and Kutmichevitsa; 25. Janinska (Ioanina) eparchy in Epirus; 26. Stash eparchy in Thessalia 27. Velsh eparchy south of Drinopole; 28. Servitsa (Selfidže) eparchy southwest of Solun (Thessalonika); 29. Ber eparchy west of Solun (Thessalonika);; 30. D’rstar (Silistra) eparchy with T’rnovo in what is now northern Bulgaria; 31. Chernička eparchy with Dyrrachium (today Dürres), with the last episcope of Durrës under the auspices of Ohrid Archdiocese mentioned in the year 1280.

Above: The Ohrid Patriarchate with its eparchies in AD 1020

The archiepiscopal see in Ohrid retained its independence, and was subordinate only to the emperor Basil II himself, who kept the exclusive right to designate or appoint the Archbishop (from the list of three candidates submitted by the Ohrid synod).

Above: Excerpt from the Chrisovula of the East-Roman emperor Basil II (born in Macedonia) from 1019, with quote: "To the episcope of Bitola and of Pelagonia and to the Prilep and to the Devretia and to the Veles, cleric of which parochies he is." Museum of the City of Bitola

The next big blow to the Macedonian Rightfaithful Church and Ohrid Archdiocese, in accordance with the growing animosity and with blessing of the Roman-catholic church, came in the form of Osmanly-Turks invasion in the 14th century. Vatican constantly growing power succeeded to enlarge its influence in Macedonia throughout the collaboration with these foreign invaders from the east, and by sending more and more of his missionaries in order to convert the church believers of the Macedonic rite into Roman-catholic credo. Thus it is known that in Archiepiscopacy of Skopje Justiniana Prima of 17th century they even succeeded to install their archbishop, of Macedonian origin - Andrea Bogdan (1600-1683), who was then after substituted by his nephew Petar Bogdan in 1677.

After the Osmanly-Turks invasion in following centuries many churches were lost, burned or transformed in mosques. For example, the holy Virgin Mary Hill in Skopje, where the EarlyChristian church and monastery stood, was raised to the ground and on that place a mosque and a clock-tower were built. The Skopje Holy Mountain (Mkd. Skopska Sveta Gora) near Skopje was even renamed into Skopje’ Montenegro (Mkd. Skopska Tsrna Gora) due to the constant Turkish raids on the numerous churches and monasteries that were put ablaze together with the villages and forest. For long periods the mountain was torched-black, hence renamed into Montenegro (Blackmountain).

Nevertheless, despite all the calamities and misfortunes, city of Skopje kept its title of Episcopal See and Metropolitan Archbishopric for 1379 years, until 1914, when it fell under Serbian occupation.25 The new Orthodox Serbian kingdom, in secret accordance with the Roman-catholic church, "succeeded" in dispossessing the Skopje Diocese of its privileged status on the benefit of the new Serbian capital-city Belgrad. With a treachery concordat stipulated with the Romancatholic church, which by the way has no legal or canonical authority whatsoever over the orthodox curches26, pope Pius X, uncanonically and illegally, by simple switching the words - reclassified the 25

See the Vatican-Serbian Concordat of 24 June 1914.

"Les origines chrĂŠtiennes dans les provinces Danubiennes de l'Empire Romain by Jacques Zeiller, 1967, p.385.

26

dependent and subordinate bishopric of Belgrad into "Archbishopric" and lowered the Archbishopric title of Skopje into Bishopric, thus negating the 1379-years old tradition and history with simple and illegal piece of paper. The treachery wrongdoing of the new Serbian church (SPC) and her century-long quarrel with the Macedonian Church (MPC-OA) lasts until nowadays.

Succeeding of the historical events throughout the centuries had left deep traces and far-reaching consequences on Skopje/Justiniana Prima and Ohrid Archiepiscopacy. Metropolitan Episcopal city of Skopje as Macedonian Christian center gradually lost its former position and importance. Along with it from the historic scene also disappeared Justiniana Prima, which, according to recorded data of many sources, and relatively recent researches committed by the renowned English archaeologist sir Arthur J. Evans and Ivan MikulÄ?ić – is still buried under the old town (Turkish Bazaar) in the center of Skopje.

Above: a postcard of Skopje showing the Macedonian National Theatre (in front) and Kale Fortress (in the back) before the 1963 earthquake Next page: the enterier of 6th century Kurshumli-An, an ancient Romeian (i.e. EastRoman) structure from old Justiniana Prima that miraculously survived until our days.

Readapted as a closed bazaar (Turkish: An), only small remnant of Justiniana Prima splendor that can be still observed and visited in downtown Skopje

Add: - From the synod records of the Ohrid Archbishopric: "Ivan Ierakar, by birth Macedonian" – a man living in the Ohrid region introduces himself as Macedonian; beginning of the 13th century. In 1891 cardinal J. Pitra published a collection of documents, 155 in number, which refer to the Ohrid Church during the time of archbishop Demetrius Homatian (1216-1235). It is established from these records that in this period in Macedonia the majority of the population consisted of Macedonians.27 The extract given here is from the document number 72. Ivan Ierakar was from the village of Vlasto (now Velesto), in the Ohrid region (See Ivan Sneragov “History of the Ohrid Archiepiscopacy I”, p.

250). Beside this village in the Ohrid region, he has picked out villages with Macedonic names in the records of the archbishopric. Ela (now Elšani), Ezerjani and Robi, as well as the first names Bratan, Radov, Grida, Draža, Dragomad, Sarakin, Dobre, Velkan and others.28 To the Genos Elkon ed Makedonon - this name for the population of Macedonia, according to D. Angelov, was "due to their territorial appurtenance".29 With reference to the different naming of the separate peoples within the borders of Romeian empire.30 Angelov has arrived to the conclusion on the basis of his studies of the synod records to determine the nationality of the subjects of the state of Epirus. Namely, he notes that "the second national population element in importance and numbers (after the ‘Vlachs’, i.e. latinized-orthodox Macedonic population) within the borders of the Epirus Diocese in that period were the Macedonians, of whom there is frequent mention in the records of the archbishopric (over 50 times), i.e. the „Macedonians“ formed the basic majority of the population".31

27

J. Pitra, "Analecta sacra et classica specilegio Solesmensi parta, t. VI Juris ecclesiastici graecorum selecta paralipomena". Parissis et Romae 1891, col. 315.

28

D.Angelov, „Prinos Kъм Narodnostite i Pozemleni Otnoshenja vo Makedonija“ p.120.

29

D.Angelov, „Prinos Kъм Narodnostite i Pozemleni Otnoshenja vo Makedonija“ p.12.

30

G. G. Litavrin „Vizantinsko Obshestvo i Gosudarstvo“ Vol. X-XI BB. Moscow, 1977, p.156 et seq.; „Documents on the Struggle of the Macedonian People for Independence and a Nation-State“, Vol. I pp. 129, 130, The University of “SS. Cyril and Methodius”.

31

D. Angelov, „Prinos Kъм Narodnostite i Pozemleni Otnoshenja vo Makedonija“ pp. 11-12 et. seq. 43.