Orthodox Christians
They are still the largest religious group in the country. However, they now represent only 46 per cent of the population, down from nearly 70 per cent at independence in 1991, due to a higher birth rate among Muslims. The country's Orthodox are further divided into several churches.
Macedonian Orthodox. The vast majority of the country's Orthodox Christians, over 700,000, belong to the Macedonian Orthodox Church. The Macedonian Orthodox Church follows the Byzantine rite, like most Orthodox churches, but in the Macedonian language. Also called the Archdiocese of Ohrid, its seat is the Cathedral of St. Clement of Ohrid, in Skopje. It was recognized as "autocephalous" (independent) on May 9, 2022 by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (in Istanbul, Turkey), the highest "moral" body among the Orthodox Churches worldwide. Since its establishment in 1958, it has depended on the Serbian Orthodox Church. But a long conflict began in 1967, when the Macedonian Orthodox Church declared its autocephaly (independence). This was not recognized by any Orthodox Church. Tensions became more acute after the country's independence in 1991, when the Serbian patriarchate refused to grant anything more than simple autonomy to the Macedonian clergy. In the 2000s, tensions spilled over into diplomatic relations with Belgrade, after the Skopje government arrested local priests and monks for supporting the Serbian church. In 2020, it was finally the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople that asked the Serbian Patriarchate to grant autocephaly to the Macedonian Church. This was done on May 16, 2022, with the recognition of all the Orthodox Churches in the process. From a historical point of view, the Macedonian Orthodox Church is the heir of the Archbishopric of Ohrid. This was founded around 990 as the seat of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. It was then recognized as a full-fledged Church by the Byzantines, after their recapture of Ohrid, in 1018, and remained autocephalous until 1767. Today, the Macedonian Orthodox Church is organized in twelve eparchies (dioceses), four of which are in the diaspora in Europe, North America and Oceania. In Northern Macedonia, there are about 2,000 churches and monasteries, 500 active priests (most of whom are married according to the Byzantine rite) and more than 100 monks and nuns.
Serbian Orthodox. There are about 40,000 of them, divided between two institutions under the same religious authority. A little more than half belong to the Serbian minority and depend on the Serbian patriarchate in Belgrade. They have a Serbian clergy and follow the Byzantine rite in Serbian and Old Slavonic. The other part is composed of Macedonians who are part of the autonomous Church known as the "Orthodox Archdiocese of Ohrid" (not to be confused with the "Archdiocese of Ohrid", i.e. the Macedonian Orthodox Church). This autonomous Church was founded in 2002 in the context of the conflict over the autocephaly of the Macedonian Orthodox Church. It also depends on the Serbian patriarchate. But it has a clergy mostly Macedonian who follows the Byzantine rite in Macedonian and Old Slavonic.
Other Orthodox. There are about 50,000 Albanians, Armenians, Bulgarians, Montenegrins and Greeks. Each of these communities theoretically follows the Byzantine rite in its own language. But since the Orthodox Churches of Albania, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Greece do not maintain clergy on site, most of these believers attend the places of worship of the Macedonian or Serbian Churches. The majority of Orthodox Albanians identify themselves with the Macedonian ethnic group.
Sunni Muslims
They are the second largest religious group in the country with between 520,000 and 590,000 followers, almost a third of the population. Sunnism is one of the two major branches of Islam, accounting for 85-90% of Muslims worldwide. The other major branch, Shi'ism, exists here only in an ultra-minority way.
History and organization. Sunnis have been present in the country since the arrival of the Ottomans at the end of the 14th century. They developed with the installation of Turkish settlers, but especially with several waves of Islamization favored by an advantageous tax system. After the departure of the Ottomans in 1912, more than half of the faithful fled, particularly to Turkey, until the 1970s. From 1947, the Muslims of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia were integrated into the Islamic Community of Yugoslavia, whose headquarters were in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Since independence in 1991, the Islamic Religious Community of North Macedonia has overseen all Muslims in the country, with the exception of Sufis, who now have their own organization. The Community has its headquarters in Skopje, where it also has the Islamic Sciences Faculty founded in 1998. The Sunnis of North Macedonia receive financial support from Muslim-majority countries, including Turkey and the Arab kingdoms of the Persian Gulf.
Populations. The Sunni community in North Macedonia consists of four "ethnic" groups. The vast majority are Albanians: about 400,000. They live mainly in Skopje, Tetovo and along the borders with Albania and Kosovo. Among the 600 or so mosques in the country, they have the most prestigious, including the Colored Mosque in Tetovo and the Sultan-Murat and Mustafa-Pasha mosques in Skopje. Next are the Turks, with about 70,000 worshippers, followed by the Roma, Ashkali and Balkan-Egyptians, with between 50,000 and 100,000 worshippers. The fourth group of Sunnis are the Slavs: about 16,000 Bosnians, 4,500 Torbs and 150 Gorans.
Sufi Muslims
They would be between 30 000 and 50 000, mainly Albanians, divided between six brotherhoods of dervishes. They belong to the mystical and esoteric current of Islam: Sufism. This one played an important role in the Islamization of the Balkans during the Ottoman era.
Bektashis. It is the most influential and the most important Sufi brotherhood of the country with around 20 000 followers and many sympathizers among Sunnis. It is also the most tolerant current of Islam. For example, women are not veiled and pray alongside men in the tekkés, the places of worship of the Sufis. Bektashi dervishes also tolerate the consumption of alcohol. Central elements of the movement include the study of the Koran and the Bible, science, human rights, poetry and respect for other religions. Borrowing some elements from Shi'ism, Bektashism originated in Greek Thrace in the sixteenth century according to the precepts of Haci Bektas Veli, a thirteenth-century Persian or Turkish sage. In Northern Macedonia, the tekké Arabati-Baba of Tetovo is an important place: in 1912, it is here that the headquarters of the brotherhood was transferred, when it was expelled from Turkey. But the prestigious complex is the object of a conflict: since 2002, it is partly occupied by Sunni radicals. In total, the Brotherhood has three tekkés in Tetovo and eight others in the cities of Skopje, Bitola, Štip, Veles, Kičevo, Makedonski Brod, Dibar and Prilep. It is mainly established in Albania. The world headquarters of Bektashism is in Tirana. It oversees about 7 million followers, mainly in Turkey, the United States and Albania.
Halvetis. Also called the khalwatis, they form the second largest brotherhood in the country with tekkés in Ohrid, Struga, Kičevo, Gostivar, Kočani, Vinica, Štip, Radoviš, and Strumica. Halvetis are one of the largest Sufi brotherhoods in the world with about 20 million followers.
Rufais. These have tekkés in Skopje, Veles, Kočani, Vinica, Radoviš and Strumica. The brotherhood is famous for its ceremony: the Ijra. This consists of entering into a trance, then piercing the cheeks, neck, larynx or belly with sharp objects whose size varies according to the degree of spirituality of the dervishes. The rufais are more established in neighboring Kosovo.
Naqshbandis. They are among the most rigorous Sufis and the most present throughout the world. In Northern Macedonia, they have at least two tekkés, in Veles and in Štip.
Melamis. Also known as malamatis, they are considered closer to Shiism than to Sunnism. Two tekkés in Radoviš and Strumica.
Kaderis. They have at least one tekké in Debar. Along with the other Sufi brotherhoods, the Kaderis have been grouped together since 2019 in the Headquarters of Sufis of Northern Macedonia, in Skopje.
Catholic Christians
There are about 17,000 of them, divided into two movements with very distinct rites but headed by the same bishop.
Catholics of the Byzantine rite. Also called the "Uniates" because they have chosen "union" with the Pope, they number about 11,000 faithful in the country. Most of them are Macedonians living in the southeast of the country, around Strumica. Led by a clergy that numbered 14 members in 2023, they belong to the Macedonian Greek Catholic Church. This church depends on the Vatican and has its seat in the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God, in Strumica. This Church is called "Greek" because it follows the Byzantine rite, like most Orthodox Churches. Thus, these Catholics venerate icons, attend liturgies (not "masses"), and the priests wear the sticharion (not the alb) and the kamilavkion (black cylindrical hat). Another important difference with the "classic" Catholic clergy is that priests are allowed to marry and have children. The small Macedonian Greek Catholic Church was founded in 2001 as an apostolic exarchate: a "particular church" directly under the pope. It is the heir to the "Bulgarian Apostolic Vicariate of Macedonia" established in 1859 by Orthodox priests who preferred to submit to the pope rather than the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople. In 2018, it was elevated to the rank of eparchy: the equivalent of a diocese headed by a bishop. This eparchy is part of the International Episcopal Conference of Saints Cyril and Methodius. This one has its seat in Belgrade and gathers the catholic communities of Roman and Byzantine rites of Serbia, Northern Macedonia, Kosovo and Montenegro.
Catholics of the Roman rite. Although they are very few in number - about 6,700 faithful - their community had a well-known personality: Mother Teresa (1910-1997), born in Skopje of Kosovo Albanian parents. Like her, these Catholics live mainly in the capital. They are also found in Bitola, Štip and Ohrid. They are part of the Diocese of Skopje, whose seat is the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Skopje. Following the same rites as the Roman Catholics of France or Italy, they are mainly Macedonians, Albanians, Croats and Slovenians. The origin of the diocese dates back to the5th century, but it was officially founded in 1816. Due to its small size, the community is headed by the Bishop of the Macedonian Greek Catholic Church. The diocese is part of both the International Episcopal Conference of Saints Cyril and Methodius and the Archdiocese of Vrhbosna. The latter covers mainly Bosnia and Herzegovina and has its seat in Sarajevo.
Protestant Christians
There are about 12,000 of them, spread over eleven different Protestant churches. Here are the four most important movements.
Methodists. The community has about 2,500 followers, mainly in the region of Strumica and Skopje. It is the oldest and largest Protestant group in the country. Conversions began in 1873 with the arrival of American missionaries. They targeted in particular the Catholics of the Byzantine rite. The best known Methodist in the country is Boris Trajkovski who was President of the Republic from 1999 until his death in a plane crash in 2004.
Evangelists. There are about 2,000 of them, in Skopje, Bitola, Prilep... The movement has been established in the country since 1988. The community is composed of Macedonians and Roma.
Baptists. Established in the country since 1928, they would be about a thousand, mainly in Radoviš.
Congregationalists. The movement exists since 1987 in North Macedonia. It has about 600 followers, mainly Roma. The headquarters are in Šuto Orizari, the large Roma district of Skopje.
Other believers
Jews. The oldest monotheistic religion in the territory of North Macedonia has only 70 to 250 followers. The presence of Judaism dates back to the Roman period, before the development of Christianity. If the community prospered under the protection of the Ottomans with the arrival of Sephardim driven out of Spain, it was almost wiped out in 1943 by the Germans. The descendants of the survivors of the Shoah live today in Skopje, Bitola and Štip. A synagogue is open for worship in the capital.
Hindus. The followers of the third largest religion in the world have been present in the country since 1988 through two organizations: the International Association for Krishna Consciousness and the movement of Guru Sathya Sai Baba. They have several centers in Skopje and another in Štip.
Jehovah's Witnesses. The followers of this Christian-inspired millenarian movement claim to be more than 1,200 in the country with a center in Skopje and another in Bitola.
Mormons. The followers and missionaries of the Christian movement "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" have been present here since the 1990s. They have three centers in Skopje, Bitola and Ohrid.
Scientologists. The Church of Scientology is one of the last religious movements recognized by the state, in 2017. There is a center in Skopje.
Atheists and agnostics
They represent less than 1% of the population. This is the same case in almost all Balkan countries, where the populations are defined primarily by their religious affiliation and/or religious cultural traditions.
