Post by Teuta1975 on Oct 24, 2007 23:03:56 GMT -5
Roberto Morozzo Della Rocca (his book Nationality and Religion in Albania, 1920 – 1944. Original title: Nazione e Religione in Albania, 1920 – 1944, published in Albania by Editing House “Elena Gjika” Tiranë 1994, page number 22 - 23) does say that the religious converting of Albanians from Christian to Islam has been reality, very possibly, by an “engine” Ottoman rule of “dimma”. The Ottoman rule there was the tax the non-Musliman citizens (guess Catholic) had to pay for being protected officially by the Ottoman Empire. This tax has gone with passing of time extremely expensive, until the period the non-Muslims have decided better to change the religion and enjoy all the rights of Imperial citizenship! Meanwhile, Della Rocca (the same page) citing the historical archives certifies, giving another element cause to this Albanian religious phenomenon, that during the mentioned historical period, Albanians there were more oppressed by Orthodoxies more than by Muslims or Islam:
“During 1604 AD, the Skopje Catholic Archipeshc has informed Rome that Albanians were prosecuted more from Orthodox Church than Muslims Turk.”
Thus, remaining to the political element of the religion we must say that even the official history certify that since the XVI century the Serbian Patriarchate has had the authorization of Istanbul’s Sublime Porte to force violently under its Serbian Orthodox jurisdiction the Catholic Albanians and to prohibit them complaining to the Rome’s Pope. In fact, the Patriarchate of Constantinople has signed an agreement with the Sublime Porte since in 1453, the year in which the city fell into the hands of the Ottomans.
As the religions there were under respective politics, such historical circumstances have favoured the East Helen-Slav orthodoxy, which has the same geopolitical opponent with Sublime Porte -- the Catholic Western countries and cultures. Throughout the mentioned historical era, the Sublime Porte of Istanbul sure there was interested to cut off every links with West Catholic and its influence into its own Muslim jurisdiction. And as the Albanian territories were outlined by the nature and the history as the human, cultural and geographic “borders” between the two worlds, they had to paid more expensively. As for the rest, the Byzantine, as Goths, Bulgarians and Serbs, finally at the mentioned epoch the Ottomans, have historically yearned for political access to the Adriatic and Jon Seas, which border most of Southern-Western-Northern Albanian territories.
But turning to endeavour of finding out the reason which have helped this process of religious converting of Albania it is clear that as Turkish there were geographically far away (from Albanian territories) and as the principal enemies there were considered the neighbourly Orthodoxy Slavs and Greeks, by whom they were afraid of ethnical replacement, analogically the need to conserve the national Albanian identity mostly has favoured the approaching of Albanians towards the Islam or a Muslimanism.
In fact the historical contradictory relation and interests of Albanians with Greek-Slav Orthodoxy would follow some political alliance of Albanians with Turkish. But, the difference with Greeks and especially Slavs orthodoxies has been stronger than these alliances with Muslim Turks. The political history confirms that differences of Albanians with Orthodoxies nationalities has started before the Ottoman domination and remain alive even after that Muslim domination of the region and, tragically until now days!
Derivate to this key-issue, a battle between Turkish Half-moon and Serb Orthodox-cross on June 28, 1389 in Kosovo’s Blackbird fields remains alive and strong until now days between the two different nationalities! Then, the Serbs made of the lost Serb Prince Lazar of this battle in Kosovo, a San Lazar national religious figure, whose name they used along with the Serbian nationalist rallies headed by Slobodan Milosevic in Kosovo. This was sure to give strong religious colours to the Serbian nationalism against the today Kosovo Albanians mostly Muslim.
Also, during the June 2001, the Russian President Vladimir Putin's surprise visit to Kosovo, re-brought the concept of different religions between Serbs and Albanians, who according to the new “Tsar” of Kremlin, were to blame for the regional instability! This declaration, immediately on deepened the difference between Orthodox and Muslim representatives in Macedonia and the armed conflict risked taking a new dimension there!
- "When the freedom and defence of our people cannot be achieved with other means, then we should get rid of those who endanger our lives and who are trying to split our homeland."- Wrote Patriarch Stefan, the spiritual head of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, MOC, in an open letter on June 21, 2001
Nevertheless, on the whole, it must be mostly said that, seemingly, Albanians during the history have needed more than religious politicised faiths, protection and arms to be defended by the chauvinism of the Orthodox neighbouring nationalities and conserve their own national identity. They (Albanians) have considered in long centuries very possibly the nationalism as the most important issue of their own history, sure in practical means. Although, then appeared to be near unanimous approaching among Albanians, whom because of human, national, political and economical means have accepted the Muslim religion. The “sin” they (Albanians) would pay on by facing terrible massacres, tentative of assimilation of the national identity, and invasions in the human’s land, which was given to them by God or universal nature during the human history.
Such option can be confirmed even by the fact that Albanians, when founded their own State although one of the last in the region, decided to make it not religious, but laic. Since the very beginning their model of State (Albanian one) there was not based to the type of religious one. It could be because the Albanians belonged to the three religions, but at last it even being most modern it doesn’t mean it could or would be the most rational for them, but not the most helpful!
Unfortunately religion is for ever used by politics. [edit]The Illyrian-Albanian territories have been a fatal cross point between West and East, Latinos and Byzantine and more fatally, at the mentioned epoch, between Orthodox Greek & Slaves in front of Muslims. Such historical mischance has made possible that the orthodoxy religion strengthens the national identity of Greek, Serbs and Bulgarians, but the Islam was very possibly seen, by historical and pragmatically circumstance, as help to conserve Albanian identity.
In fact with failing of Ottoman Empire for some Balkan peoples, the religious state model has been fruitful and optimal. For the Greeks the church created the state. In this sense it was the optimal model. For the Bulgarians too. We must not forget that the church, according to the tradition of the Ottoman Empire, had many attributes and administrative rights [including tax collection] … which means it was a kind of half-state. So when those people needed to set up a state they were already half finished, you might say.
Sure Albanians did not have such a half-finished state, and at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, with their different religious components they couldn’t find help from the church or from the mosque.
The Albanian state, it seems--those geniuses who made it--opted for a certain model with the understanding that Albanians can live together under the Western European model alone. Let us say, the emancipated, liberal model, where the church, mosque and religions are separate from the state.
As it clearly seems while the religions has helped the Greek, Serbian and Bulgarian people to unify the sense of being nationally equal, it sure has embarrassed the Albanians. Adding here that the religious authorities in Albanian territories influenced “religiously” by respective countries have not helped the difficult way of Albanians to construct a unified State! But, on the other hand, at last but not least, Islam in all the long Albanian history never meant Turcification, as Orthodoxy has ever been equal to Hellenisation and Slavisation and that could be fatally the less dangerous option to be taken.
According to Della Rocca, (Religion and Nationality in Albania, 1920 – 1944, page number 22) different Northern Albanian big families were converted Catholics, before the Turkish occupation, just for resisting the Greek Slav assimilation favoured by Orthodoxy.
The educated Albanian nobility of the then epoch perceiving that the greatest danger came to Albania from neighbouring peoples, who confused the ideas of religion and nationality, realised that to follow the schismatic faith meant also denying their nationality and becoming Serbs, Greeks, or Bulgars:
“In this emergency, they sought rescue in the support of the Roman Church. Bogdani in his "Cuneus" shows that this identification persisted in later years, when he writes in his introduction that the Slavs also used the name "arbanaska vera" for the Catholic faith.”
In a later era, Edith Durham, a very famous English woman and a Balkans’ studious of the region’s ethnography and author of several books about Albania, has noted a particular phenomenon of “crypto-Christianias” amongst Albanians at mountaineer places around Elbasan town. Edith Durham says (The Yugoslav Danger, Twenty Years of Balkan Memories. Original title: Die Slawische Gefahr, Zwanzig Jahre Balkanerinnerungen, Stuttgart, page number 130-131) that she did not note any Church or Mosque at the places mentioned, but she has met people who had practically two names!
“In front of the Muslims he was named Sulejman and in front of the Christians Kostandin”- says Durham underlining that these people when were faced with Muslim military recruitment there were introduced as Christians, arguing that by the missing of Mosques.
Meanwhile, let us say that these people in front of the Orthodox rules sure have used even the missing of Churches, but this phenomenon as noted to Elbasan town environs, do not sounds an extraordinary approach of Albanians at all. In effect, the Elbasan town and its environs there are situated to an Albanian territory where for long centuries Islam, Orthodox and Catholic Churches have ruled against each other with strong antagonism between their respective cultures, which were crucified to this place with violence.
This ancient Albanian territory of Elbasan there is, on the other hand, a very geographic important cross point of the Via Egnatia the natural East West Corridor, which has been geographically the “bridge” of transportation of goods, cultures and religions of the ever East and West. But, politically a violent crucified place of antagonist worlds and their respective cultures and interests. In fact, the global history certifies that, this natural corridor Via Egnatia, or East West Corridor, which had served until the divorce of the East with West to connect these geographic parts of the world, there is sabotaged for 1500 years from Continental powers because of their own fears to have contacts with the developed Catholic West, would take real attention and the due consensus just with the end of the World Communist era, 1990- 2000!
Meanwhile, as expected, on the whole, during some different periods of the political history of the region the existence of the three Religious rites amongst Albanians has been even a “discord actor” among Albanians, permitting foreigners Powers to pretend the dissolution of the modest Albanian State internationally confirmed. The three religion faiths of the Albanian historical religious developing have figured out political and artificial approaches, time-by-time violent ones, by the respective neighbour countries dominated by the different respective religions.
In fact, as it is already well known due to Ottoman tradition, but for political use too, the Orthodox Albanians are considered tragically by Athens as Hellenic population! Catholics Albanians also were considered differently from other Albanians respectively by Catholic countries and especially Rome. Turkey also has configured deep difference amongst the same nationality, considering differently the other Muslim Albanians under Ottoman Empire.
It must be said that the histories of now days testify that Albanians there are part of the three religions of Catholic, Orthodox and Muslim. But, unfortunately the Albanian people are part also of the different regional Orthodoxy States, phenomenon that help to argue the geopolitical role of the religion through Albanian history. According to the data corresponding with the fall of Ottoman Empire, as well with these of now days, it result constantly that in the internationally confirmed modest independent Albanian state, the percentage of Albanian Catholics amount 8-10%, (mostly in northern territories), Orthodox 18-20%, (mostly in Southern territories) and, Muslim for the rest of the geography and mathematics. But, to say at least, the percentage of Orthodox and Catholic Albanians there is too much more modest within the Orthodox regional administrative states of Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro. Sure, without doubt, the religious sentiment amongst these last Albanians is stronger than to Albania’s Albanians, as it has helped them to conserve the nationality under the violent Orthodoxy states.
Albanian case there is a different case in Balkans
Nevertheless, generally, the Albanian Islam under the Albanian nationalism has been a political barricade against Greek and Slav oppression and their own aims to assimilate Albanians. Such Albanian approaches were noted as well in front of Catholicism, which was used humanly by Albanians against Hellenisation, favoured by Byzantine Orthodoxy. But, the Albanian religious developing with passing of history would have its fatal boomerang phenomenon with negative contra-productivity, but it is confirmed now that happened mostly because of geopolitics instead of the religion faiths. At last but not least, the Albanian particular religious developing has been fatal because of geopolitics instead of the religion faiths.
Albanians under the Roman Empire, and then when they passed under the control of the new [Eastern] Roman Empire of Constantinople, had no difficulty embracing contradictory elements--political subordination to Constantinople, religious subordination to the pope in Rome. Some historians of religion argue that the Albanians at that time didn’t speak of two different rites. The difference was practically of no importance for Albanians who were interested in going to church just to get married and be buried.
But more seemingly it could be said that as a natural result the Albanian religion sentiment, as the religion its self was (is) used ever by politics, have not been strong reasonably during their own history. Albanians have always perceived the religions simply under the influence of the national aims to survive historically amongst chauvinism of their orthodox neighbours. Vaso Pasha, a very well known Albanian poet of XIX century would write at his era: “Albanian religion is the Albanianism”.
Whilst, Della Rocca says that - “Such determination of nationalism in front of the religion is not the unique case at the then people history. There are other European nations, which with modest differences show analogical similarities. We can mention here the Ireland and Lithuania, which won the independence more or less at the same decade with Albania and after tumultuous domination and struggles. In Ireland and in Lithuania, as well in Albania, the independent form of the states was obtained later than the other Europe. In Ireland, in Lithuania, as well in Albania, or later in Bask countries or to some hemispherical Republics of Soviet Europe, the nationalism is the “engine actor” which aspire the public life in a steady manner. The religious faiths although intact, in some way are subordinated” – (the book Nationality and Religion in Albania, 1920 – 1944, (page number 12)
Therefore, beyond the religion faiths, which have not been cause but consequence through the Albanian history, the core of the political and religious history of the Albanians, divided amongst other Orthodox countries, has ever been its unfortunate geography and the consequent geopolitical role. The Albanian territories positioned in an unfortunate significant zone of Balkans Peninsula, whose regional geopolitical role has ever been important to the ever-global configuration, had sanctioned the Illyrian-Albanian territories as a gate to the East for the West and to the West for the East.
This phenomenon, once more, has certified that the ever-global interests, aiming to achieve their own geopolitics, have divided and ruled this region, but almost such geopolitics have always hosted the assimilation of the Illyrian-Albanian ancient nation, who has resisted stoically, in effect.
“During 1604 AD, the Skopje Catholic Archipeshc has informed Rome that Albanians were prosecuted more from Orthodox Church than Muslims Turk.”
Thus, remaining to the political element of the religion we must say that even the official history certify that since the XVI century the Serbian Patriarchate has had the authorization of Istanbul’s Sublime Porte to force violently under its Serbian Orthodox jurisdiction the Catholic Albanians and to prohibit them complaining to the Rome’s Pope. In fact, the Patriarchate of Constantinople has signed an agreement with the Sublime Porte since in 1453, the year in which the city fell into the hands of the Ottomans.
As the religions there were under respective politics, such historical circumstances have favoured the East Helen-Slav orthodoxy, which has the same geopolitical opponent with Sublime Porte -- the Catholic Western countries and cultures. Throughout the mentioned historical era, the Sublime Porte of Istanbul sure there was interested to cut off every links with West Catholic and its influence into its own Muslim jurisdiction. And as the Albanian territories were outlined by the nature and the history as the human, cultural and geographic “borders” between the two worlds, they had to paid more expensively. As for the rest, the Byzantine, as Goths, Bulgarians and Serbs, finally at the mentioned epoch the Ottomans, have historically yearned for political access to the Adriatic and Jon Seas, which border most of Southern-Western-Northern Albanian territories.
But turning to endeavour of finding out the reason which have helped this process of religious converting of Albania it is clear that as Turkish there were geographically far away (from Albanian territories) and as the principal enemies there were considered the neighbourly Orthodoxy Slavs and Greeks, by whom they were afraid of ethnical replacement, analogically the need to conserve the national Albanian identity mostly has favoured the approaching of Albanians towards the Islam or a Muslimanism.
In fact the historical contradictory relation and interests of Albanians with Greek-Slav Orthodoxy would follow some political alliance of Albanians with Turkish. But, the difference with Greeks and especially Slavs orthodoxies has been stronger than these alliances with Muslim Turks. The political history confirms that differences of Albanians with Orthodoxies nationalities has started before the Ottoman domination and remain alive even after that Muslim domination of the region and, tragically until now days!
Derivate to this key-issue, a battle between Turkish Half-moon and Serb Orthodox-cross on June 28, 1389 in Kosovo’s Blackbird fields remains alive and strong until now days between the two different nationalities! Then, the Serbs made of the lost Serb Prince Lazar of this battle in Kosovo, a San Lazar national religious figure, whose name they used along with the Serbian nationalist rallies headed by Slobodan Milosevic in Kosovo. This was sure to give strong religious colours to the Serbian nationalism against the today Kosovo Albanians mostly Muslim.
Also, during the June 2001, the Russian President Vladimir Putin's surprise visit to Kosovo, re-brought the concept of different religions between Serbs and Albanians, who according to the new “Tsar” of Kremlin, were to blame for the regional instability! This declaration, immediately on deepened the difference between Orthodox and Muslim representatives in Macedonia and the armed conflict risked taking a new dimension there!
- "When the freedom and defence of our people cannot be achieved with other means, then we should get rid of those who endanger our lives and who are trying to split our homeland."- Wrote Patriarch Stefan, the spiritual head of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, MOC, in an open letter on June 21, 2001
Nevertheless, on the whole, it must be mostly said that, seemingly, Albanians during the history have needed more than religious politicised faiths, protection and arms to be defended by the chauvinism of the Orthodox neighbouring nationalities and conserve their own national identity. They (Albanians) have considered in long centuries very possibly the nationalism as the most important issue of their own history, sure in practical means. Although, then appeared to be near unanimous approaching among Albanians, whom because of human, national, political and economical means have accepted the Muslim religion. The “sin” they (Albanians) would pay on by facing terrible massacres, tentative of assimilation of the national identity, and invasions in the human’s land, which was given to them by God or universal nature during the human history.
Such option can be confirmed even by the fact that Albanians, when founded their own State although one of the last in the region, decided to make it not religious, but laic. Since the very beginning their model of State (Albanian one) there was not based to the type of religious one. It could be because the Albanians belonged to the three religions, but at last it even being most modern it doesn’t mean it could or would be the most rational for them, but not the most helpful!
Unfortunately religion is for ever used by politics. [edit]The Illyrian-Albanian territories have been a fatal cross point between West and East, Latinos and Byzantine and more fatally, at the mentioned epoch, between Orthodox Greek & Slaves in front of Muslims. Such historical mischance has made possible that the orthodoxy religion strengthens the national identity of Greek, Serbs and Bulgarians, but the Islam was very possibly seen, by historical and pragmatically circumstance, as help to conserve Albanian identity.
In fact with failing of Ottoman Empire for some Balkan peoples, the religious state model has been fruitful and optimal. For the Greeks the church created the state. In this sense it was the optimal model. For the Bulgarians too. We must not forget that the church, according to the tradition of the Ottoman Empire, had many attributes and administrative rights [including tax collection] … which means it was a kind of half-state. So when those people needed to set up a state they were already half finished, you might say.
Sure Albanians did not have such a half-finished state, and at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, with their different religious components they couldn’t find help from the church or from the mosque.
The Albanian state, it seems--those geniuses who made it--opted for a certain model with the understanding that Albanians can live together under the Western European model alone. Let us say, the emancipated, liberal model, where the church, mosque and religions are separate from the state.
As it clearly seems while the religions has helped the Greek, Serbian and Bulgarian people to unify the sense of being nationally equal, it sure has embarrassed the Albanians. Adding here that the religious authorities in Albanian territories influenced “religiously” by respective countries have not helped the difficult way of Albanians to construct a unified State! But, on the other hand, at last but not least, Islam in all the long Albanian history never meant Turcification, as Orthodoxy has ever been equal to Hellenisation and Slavisation and that could be fatally the less dangerous option to be taken.
According to Della Rocca, (Religion and Nationality in Albania, 1920 – 1944, page number 22) different Northern Albanian big families were converted Catholics, before the Turkish occupation, just for resisting the Greek Slav assimilation favoured by Orthodoxy.
The educated Albanian nobility of the then epoch perceiving that the greatest danger came to Albania from neighbouring peoples, who confused the ideas of religion and nationality, realised that to follow the schismatic faith meant also denying their nationality and becoming Serbs, Greeks, or Bulgars:
“In this emergency, they sought rescue in the support of the Roman Church. Bogdani in his "Cuneus" shows that this identification persisted in later years, when he writes in his introduction that the Slavs also used the name "arbanaska vera" for the Catholic faith.”
In a later era, Edith Durham, a very famous English woman and a Balkans’ studious of the region’s ethnography and author of several books about Albania, has noted a particular phenomenon of “crypto-Christianias” amongst Albanians at mountaineer places around Elbasan town. Edith Durham says (The Yugoslav Danger, Twenty Years of Balkan Memories. Original title: Die Slawische Gefahr, Zwanzig Jahre Balkanerinnerungen, Stuttgart, page number 130-131) that she did not note any Church or Mosque at the places mentioned, but she has met people who had practically two names!
“In front of the Muslims he was named Sulejman and in front of the Christians Kostandin”- says Durham underlining that these people when were faced with Muslim military recruitment there were introduced as Christians, arguing that by the missing of Mosques.
Meanwhile, let us say that these people in front of the Orthodox rules sure have used even the missing of Churches, but this phenomenon as noted to Elbasan town environs, do not sounds an extraordinary approach of Albanians at all. In effect, the Elbasan town and its environs there are situated to an Albanian territory where for long centuries Islam, Orthodox and Catholic Churches have ruled against each other with strong antagonism between their respective cultures, which were crucified to this place with violence.
This ancient Albanian territory of Elbasan there is, on the other hand, a very geographic important cross point of the Via Egnatia the natural East West Corridor, which has been geographically the “bridge” of transportation of goods, cultures and religions of the ever East and West. But, politically a violent crucified place of antagonist worlds and their respective cultures and interests. In fact, the global history certifies that, this natural corridor Via Egnatia, or East West Corridor, which had served until the divorce of the East with West to connect these geographic parts of the world, there is sabotaged for 1500 years from Continental powers because of their own fears to have contacts with the developed Catholic West, would take real attention and the due consensus just with the end of the World Communist era, 1990- 2000!
Meanwhile, as expected, on the whole, during some different periods of the political history of the region the existence of the three Religious rites amongst Albanians has been even a “discord actor” among Albanians, permitting foreigners Powers to pretend the dissolution of the modest Albanian State internationally confirmed. The three religion faiths of the Albanian historical religious developing have figured out political and artificial approaches, time-by-time violent ones, by the respective neighbour countries dominated by the different respective religions.
In fact, as it is already well known due to Ottoman tradition, but for political use too, the Orthodox Albanians are considered tragically by Athens as Hellenic population! Catholics Albanians also were considered differently from other Albanians respectively by Catholic countries and especially Rome. Turkey also has configured deep difference amongst the same nationality, considering differently the other Muslim Albanians under Ottoman Empire.
It must be said that the histories of now days testify that Albanians there are part of the three religions of Catholic, Orthodox and Muslim. But, unfortunately the Albanian people are part also of the different regional Orthodoxy States, phenomenon that help to argue the geopolitical role of the religion through Albanian history. According to the data corresponding with the fall of Ottoman Empire, as well with these of now days, it result constantly that in the internationally confirmed modest independent Albanian state, the percentage of Albanian Catholics amount 8-10%, (mostly in northern territories), Orthodox 18-20%, (mostly in Southern territories) and, Muslim for the rest of the geography and mathematics. But, to say at least, the percentage of Orthodox and Catholic Albanians there is too much more modest within the Orthodox regional administrative states of Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro. Sure, without doubt, the religious sentiment amongst these last Albanians is stronger than to Albania’s Albanians, as it has helped them to conserve the nationality under the violent Orthodoxy states.
Albanian case there is a different case in Balkans
Nevertheless, generally, the Albanian Islam under the Albanian nationalism has been a political barricade against Greek and Slav oppression and their own aims to assimilate Albanians. Such Albanian approaches were noted as well in front of Catholicism, which was used humanly by Albanians against Hellenisation, favoured by Byzantine Orthodoxy. But, the Albanian religious developing with passing of history would have its fatal boomerang phenomenon with negative contra-productivity, but it is confirmed now that happened mostly because of geopolitics instead of the religion faiths. At last but not least, the Albanian particular religious developing has been fatal because of geopolitics instead of the religion faiths.
Albanians under the Roman Empire, and then when they passed under the control of the new [Eastern] Roman Empire of Constantinople, had no difficulty embracing contradictory elements--political subordination to Constantinople, religious subordination to the pope in Rome. Some historians of religion argue that the Albanians at that time didn’t speak of two different rites. The difference was practically of no importance for Albanians who were interested in going to church just to get married and be buried.
But more seemingly it could be said that as a natural result the Albanian religion sentiment, as the religion its self was (is) used ever by politics, have not been strong reasonably during their own history. Albanians have always perceived the religions simply under the influence of the national aims to survive historically amongst chauvinism of their orthodox neighbours. Vaso Pasha, a very well known Albanian poet of XIX century would write at his era: “Albanian religion is the Albanianism”.
Whilst, Della Rocca says that - “Such determination of nationalism in front of the religion is not the unique case at the then people history. There are other European nations, which with modest differences show analogical similarities. We can mention here the Ireland and Lithuania, which won the independence more or less at the same decade with Albania and after tumultuous domination and struggles. In Ireland and in Lithuania, as well in Albania, the independent form of the states was obtained later than the other Europe. In Ireland, in Lithuania, as well in Albania, or later in Bask countries or to some hemispherical Republics of Soviet Europe, the nationalism is the “engine actor” which aspire the public life in a steady manner. The religious faiths although intact, in some way are subordinated” – (the book Nationality and Religion in Albania, 1920 – 1944, (page number 12)
Therefore, beyond the religion faiths, which have not been cause but consequence through the Albanian history, the core of the political and religious history of the Albanians, divided amongst other Orthodox countries, has ever been its unfortunate geography and the consequent geopolitical role. The Albanian territories positioned in an unfortunate significant zone of Balkans Peninsula, whose regional geopolitical role has ever been important to the ever-global configuration, had sanctioned the Illyrian-Albanian territories as a gate to the East for the West and to the West for the East.
This phenomenon, once more, has certified that the ever-global interests, aiming to achieve their own geopolitics, have divided and ruled this region, but almost such geopolitics have always hosted the assimilation of the Illyrian-Albanian ancient nation, who has resisted stoically, in effect.