At Easter and other major Christian holidays, Macedonians in the UK usually gather around the church. The Macedonian Orthodox Church in the UK remain the only permanently active organised structure that consistently bring people together and preserve our faith, language, and identity.
As someone who has been involved in founding few Macedonian organisations in the UK as well as serving on a church committee, I know first-hand how much unpaid work, responsibility, and personal sacrifice goes into keeping these organisations alive. It is not easy work, it depends entirely on volunteers who give their time and energy for the benefit of everyone. In recent times, I have heard a lot of criticism directed at the priest and church communities in general. My response is simple: get involved. If something can be improved, let’s do it together, constructively, from within.
Very often, I also hear from fellow Macedonians that they would rather attend other Balkan churches in the UK instead of the Macedonian Orthodox Church, sometimes due to personal disagreements – such as not liking a priest or a member of a church committee. At the same time, the same people strongly express patriotic views, calling for Macedonians to stay united and criticising the lack of Macedonian organisation in the UK. This creates a contradiction that is worth reflecting on.
There will always be differences of opinion, personalities, and human disagreements in any community. That is normal. But the question is how we respond to them – whether we step away, or whether we stay involved and work through those challenges together.
I do not believe in divisions or in theories suggesting that “foreign powers” and “secret services” have hidden agendas behind everything. In my view, this only distracts us from what truly matters. It often feels that we are quick to criticise, but slower to contribute. And sometimes, when someone simply has a different opinion, it becomes too easy to label them spies and traitors unfairly instead of listening and engaging.
We are stronger when we build together, even when we disagree. If we truly care about our community, then the answer is not withdrawal, suspicion, or division but participation, respect, and unity of effort.
K.M.
