Page 295 - Conflitti Militari e Popolazioni Civili - Tomo I

295
aCta
5
latter’s harsh subjugation, it contributed considerably to its spiritual and moral survival.
For over five centuries religious life, as consolidated by the privileges granted by Sultans
since the time of Mohammed the Conqueror, remained the only organized form of life for
the Greeks in Macedonia. At these crucial times the institution of the provincial Synod of the
6
Metropolitan bishopric of Thessaloniki contributed greatly to establishment of the religious
and national faith of the Hellenism in Macedonia. With in the framework of this established
life, the Orthodox faith and national conscience not only of the Greeks, but also of the Bul-
garians and Serbs, were kept vibrant and their native languages were preserved. The clergy’s
contribution was immense, as it encouraged and assisted the people of Macedonia. The Hel-
lenism and the Church, forever interwoven in Macedonia and Thrace, faced the persecutions
of the Bulgarian Committees together. The conflict initially was limited in churches. The
priests were the first to confront the komitadjis, followed by the teachers, church-wardens,
the notables and all Macedonians remaining faithful to the Patriarchate and to Hellenism.
The churches and ecclesiastical foundations were the first to be put to the torch, and fierce
battles were even fought for their possession. The failure of the Committees was largely due
to the resistance of those villages whose inhabitants remained faithful to the Patriarchate.
The story of active or passive resistance remains largely unknown, wet it is widely known
that, had it not been for the enlightened prelates of that age to guide, encourage and organize
those Macedonians faithful to the patriarchate, Macedonian Hellenism would have altoge-
7
ther vanished before 1903. The moderation and its inability to reinforce and to protect the
Macedonian Greeks that characterized the actions of the official Hellenic State – at least until
1903 – was initially covered by private initiative.
In all of Macedonia, many were those willing to render significant services to Hellenism,
either individually or in groups, as soon as the conditions would be favorable. Initially, the-
8
re was the powerful patriarchist ecclesiastical organization, which through suitable guidance
was sufficient as the stable framework for the organization of the struggle. Assisted by the
chain of Greek schools in Macedonia, the Church’s organization doubtless was protecting the
Macedonian Hellenism. Aside from a very few cases of oblivious priests and teachers, the
remaining officials of both the Church and the educational system wholeheartedly devoted
themselves to the services of the Consulate and of Hellenism. The Greek populations were
eagerly and sincerely assisting the struggle. Young villagers would often train in the use of
weapons while weapon depots were constructed, while the task of organizing the struggle

5 For the role of the Church during the Macedonian Struggle: Eliade Amalia, O kleros ston Makedoniko
Agona - E symbole tou sten organose kai sten antistase tou Hellenismou 1767-1908, Protypes Thessalikes
Ekdoseis, 2003, Karathanases Athanasios, O Hellenismos kai e Metropole tou Neurokopiou kata ton Make-
doniko Agona, Institute of Balkan Studies, Thessaloniki 1991, Laourdas Vasileios, E Metropolis Neuroko-
piou 1900-1907, Institute of Balkan Studies, Thessaloniki 1961, Metallinou Angelike, “Archiereis kai Iereis
Agonistai yper tes Apeleutheroseos tes Makedonias”, Nea Aletheia, Thessaloniki 20 April 1959, Stamos
Panagiotes, O Metropolites Kassandreias Eirenaios, 1863-1945, Athens 1970.
6 Angelopoulos A., “E Episkopiki Synodos tes Metropoleos Thessalonikis kai e semasia autes semeron” (=The
Episcopical Synod of Metropolis of Thessaloniki and its Present importance), Theologia,3, Athens 1977.
7 For the people’s contribution, Anestopoulos Angelos, O Makedonikos Agon 1903-1908 kai e symbole ton
katoikon eis ten apeleutherosin tes Makedonias, Vol. II, Thessalonika 1965.
8 HAGS/AHD, The Struggle…, o.c., pp.162-3.