Macedonia and FYROM – Communist Lies and Christianity
Australian Macedonian Advisory Council
November 13, 2008
Everyone knows that Alexander the Great and the ancient kingdom of Macedonia was Greek – this is supported by the archaeological and literary evidence. Alexander was descended from two Greek hero´s – Hercules on his father Philip´s side – and Achilles on his Mother Olympia´s side.
The very name 'Macedonia' is Greek. Like many other regions of Greece, Macedonia is named after a Greek mythological figure - 'Macedon' - who was the son of Zeus and Thyia - the daughter of Deucalion and sister of Hellen.
Thus 'Macedon' - whom the Macedonians and the land Macedonia are named after - was the nephew of Hellen (whom the Hellenes or Greeks are named after) and the son of the Greek God Zeus (Hesiod – Catalogue of Women, 8th Century BCE; Marsyas of Pella - a history of Macedonia (Makedonika), 4th Century BCE).
However, since 1944 the origins of the Macedonian people have become confused due to the propaganda and plans of the communist government of the Former Yugoslavia.
In 1944 the communist government of Yugoslavia – wanting access to the Aegean Sea - sought to lay claim to ancient Macedonia, which was then – as it is today – the largest region of Greece. To do this, General Tito renamed their southern province from Vardar Banovina to the Socialist Republic of Macedonia, and created the falsehood of an ethnic non-Greek (ie: Slavic) Macedonian population.
The communist government of Yugoslavia also created a separate Church – the so called Macedonian Orthodox church – to support their false policy. This so called Orthodox Church was created in 1963 – before this it did not exist – for the simple reason that a non-Greek Macedonian population did not exist prior to this. Today no other Orthodox Church (Serbian, Russian, Greek, Armenian, etc) recognize it as a legitimate church – but a falsehood created to support a Communist Government Policy.
Since 1991 when this region broke away from Yugoslavia, the United Nations has recognized it by the name the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). Unfortunately, the United States under the current administration, have gone against the UN and recognized it simply as the Republic of Macedonia.
Throughout history Macedonia has only ever had three capitals - two as an independent nation - Aigai which is today at the modern Greek town of Vergina (a World Heritage site as the location of the tombs of the Macedonian royal family), and Pella (birthplace of Alexander the Great) - again in Greece; and one capital as a province - Thessaloniki - the Capital of the Roman province of Macedonia. Today Thessaloniki is the second largest City in Greece, and the Capital of the Greek Province of Macedonia.
Most of what is today FYROM was never part of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia - even at the height of it's power and expansion under Phillip and Alexander - including Skopje it's capital. In ancient times this was known as Scupi - and was the capital of the Illyrian (Albanian) tribe the Dardanoi.
In ancient times the land that they now claim as 'the Republic of Macedonia' was known as Dardania - after the people who lived there. Even after Macedonia was conquered by the Romans, Dandania and its Capital at Scupi (now Skopje) were not part of the Roman Province of Macedonia - whose capital was Thessaloniki.
The FYROM people claim that the Greeks changed the names of towns to Greek - yet history shows it was the other way around. Thessaloniki is named Solun by the Slavs. Yet history records that the city was named after Alexander the Great's sister - Thessaloniki (whose name in Greek meant 'Victory'- NIKE - in Thessaly, ie: Thessal – o - niki) - who was given the name when she was born after her father won a victory in Thessaly.
For this reason when Saint Paul wrote his letters to the early Greek Church in Thessaloniki it was to the 'Thessalonians' (not the Solunians). These letters are part of the New Testament Bible, and were written by St Paul in Greek to a Greek people - a historical fact recognized by all churches. The same is true of his letters to the Philippians – written to the Greek population of the Macedonian city built and named after Alexander the Great´s father – Philip II – which like all other parts of ancient Macedonia is today in Greece.
Are the FYROM Government and communities arguing that St Paul was a liar? That all churches are part of the 'let's make Macedonia Greek' conspiracy? That the New Testament is a fabrication?
The Slavic name is a derivative of the Turkish version 'Salonik' - which shows that the Slavic memories of Thessaloniki only date a few hundred years to the Turkish occupation - because they were not around when Thessaloniki was first built by the ancient (Greek) Macedonians.
Ancient history aside, it is very important that all Governments recognize that they are supporting an expansionist policy of a failed communist government if they support the naming issue on behalf of the FYROM government and FYROM community abroad – if they recognize FYROM as Macedonia.
Supporting one country's determination to be the sole owner of a name is a policy that is inconsistent, when the largest part of that region falls in another nation, and the people of that other nation also claim rights to that name.
In FYROM only 64% of the population of 2 million - or 1.2 million people refer to themselves as ethnic (non-Greek) Macedonians. Whilst in the Macedonian province of Greece, there are 2.6 million ethnic Greeks that also refer to themselves as Macedonians. Giving sole recognition to the FYROM Government and people as Macedonians undermines the rights of 2.6 million Greeks to their 4,000 year old history, culture and heritage as true Macedonians.
It is also incumbent on Governments to recognize the larger strategy that the naming dispute is only a small part of. The longer term goal of the FYROM Government is a continuation of the Communist policies of the former Yugoslavia - and the creation of a so called United Macedonia that incorporates Northern Greece. It is very difficult for the Government of FYROM to support their arguments as sole claimants to the name 'Macedonia' when what has throughout history been known as Macedonia is not part of their country.
So what would the creation of a 'United Macedonia' actually mean? Currently FYROM has a population of 2 million. Based on their own statistics, 64% (1.2 million) are 'ethnic (non-Greek) Macedonians', with the remaining 36% being primarily Albanians, with a small number of other groups. Greek Macedonia has a population of 2.6 million Macedonians - all ethnic Greeks.
Their ideal irredentist map of "their" Macedonia which wholly incorporates Greek land
In a 'United Macedonia' this would leave the ethnic Greek Macedonians with a majority of population at 56%, the Slav-Macedonians with 25%, the Albanians with 15%, and other minority groups with the remainder (4%). In an open democratic society this would mean the Greek Macedonians would hold the balance of power in any government, and the Slav-Macedonians would be a minority group.
However, all Governments need to recognize that this is NOT what they are wanting to achieve. Would the Government of FYROM seriously be seeking to create a country where they would lose power and become a small minority group? What they are actually advocating is the annexation of the largest and most populous province of Greece - Macedonia, and the ethnic cleansing and forced removal of 2.6 million Greeks.
This would be the single largest ethnic cleansing in Europe since the Holocaust. It would also end 4,000 years of Greek history and culture in Macedonia, result in cultural genocide, and risk damage to world heritage sites such as Vergina (the tombs of the Macedonian kings, including the father of Alexander the Great, Phillip II), as the archaeological evidence indicates these were a Greek people, which does not accord with FYROM Government policy.
The FYROM Government and the FYROM communities are seeking the sole use of the name Macedonia as part of a larger strategy to achieve this. Any government that supports the views of the FYROM community and FYROM Government over the name ´Macedonia´ are potentially endorsing the largest proposed act of ethnic cleansing and cultural genocide in Europe since WWII.
The Greek people – one of the oldest branches of Christianity in the world – need everyone to open their eyes and recognize the lies about Macedonia that the FYROM Government is trying to sell to the world.
Macedonia was Greek to the early Christians – when Saint Paul wrote his letters to the Greek churches at Philipi and Thessaloniki – and remains Greek today. Greece has always been an ally of the United States - in World War I,World War II & Korean War.FYROM is a remnant of a failed communist state – a former member of the Communist block of Eastern Europe.
Support Greece. Support the truth. Macedonia is Greek!
AUSTRALIAN MACEDONIAN ADVISORY COUNCIL
prepared for MOTW Truth Bearer Macedonia on the web forum
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