They are neither Macedonian nor Orthodox.
The historical Macedonians were a Greek tribe. During Roman times and later, “Macedonia” did not describe a particular people, but was used as a geographic identifier to describe a region, the size and shape of which was changed many times without respect to the peoples living there. When people described themselves as Macedonians, it was in the same sense that the residents of New York would call themselves New Yorkans, regardless of whether they were Spanish, German, African or of any other ethnic background. There are no ethnic Macedonians. There are Greeks from Macedonia and Bulgarians from Macedonia and Albanians from Macedonia etc. but no nation Macedonia until Tito renamed Barinova Vardarska in an attempt to lay claim to all of the geographic area known as Macedonia. The creation of the ‘Macedonian’ Orthodox Church by the Communist leaders was all part of an attempt to create a national ‘Macedonian’ consciousness in the population. They are in schism from the rest of the Church and actively participate in persecuting the true Orthodox christians in the region. Bishop Jovan has been in jail for years on false charges and churches and monasteries have been destroyed by these false christians.
Unfortunately, by creating a sui juris Macedonian Catholic Church, Rome has helped further their cause.
