By Fr. Elias Makos
The reaction of the Church of Albania to the results of the 2023 census in Albania, which were recently announced, is justified and intense. According to these results, the number of Orthodox Christians is recorded as small and not reflective of their actual numbers. As emphasized, “the results of the 2023 census, regarding the percentage of Orthodox Christians, do not truly reflect reality.”
The main reasons for this are explained as follows:
“The census takers, in many cases, did not ask respondents about their religious beliefs. We have documented evidence that a large number of believers were not counted because no census taker visited them. Although the question about religious beliefs was optional, a large number of undefined believers – 332,155, atheists – 85,311, those who preferred not to answer – 244,331, and those who were unavailable – 134,451, totaling 796,248, about one-third of the population, testified to the inaccuracy of this census.”
It is clarified that “according to the baptism records kept by the Orthodox Church, it is clear that the number of Orthodox Christians is many times greater than the census results. Furthermore, since 1927, statistics show: Sunni Muslims and Bektashi Muslims constituted 67.5%, Orthodox Christians 22.3%, and Catholics 10%.”
PLANNED REDUCTION
This is a planned reduction in the numbers concerning those who identify as Orthodox Christians in the 2023 census.
They are reduced by 15,347 individuals compared to the 2011 census, while it is clear that they are significantly more and continuously increasing, something that the census did not show.
And they are not only of Greek descent; a large percentage are of Albanian descent and from other backgrounds.
Specifically, in the 2023 census, whose results were announced recently, the following were recorded concerning their religious beliefs:
Muslims: 1,101,718. Bektashi Muslims: 115,644. Catholics: 201,530. Orthodox Christians: 173,645. Evangelicals: 9,658. Other faiths: 3,670. Undefined: 332,155. Atheists: 85,311. Did not answer: 244,331.
Only in four of the nine censuses that have been conducted in Albania was the religion of the citizens declared. The Orthodox Christians of Albania (not only those of Greek descent, but in general) were 171,000 (21%) in the 1923 census, 191,000 (22.91%) in the 1930 census, 191,143 (6.75%) in the 2011 census, and 173,645 (approximately 6% of the overall recorded population) in the 2023 census.
From the ecclesiastical data available to the Orthodox Church of Albania (lists of baptisms before and after the persecution and lists of the 460 Orthodox parishes in the population of Albania), Orthodox Christians exceed 24%. It is therefore reasonable to ask, where is the more than 17% that the 2023 census concealed?
There were obstacles in the census for the objective recording of religions and minorities: The question of which religious community you belong to was optional. Additionally, the term “practically” Orthodox concealed another trap. There is no thermometer to measure faith. Also, a believer’s participation in all religious obligations cannot be measured. Some who do not attend church regularly answered the census questionnaire that they are not Orthodox, while they are Orthodox.
The old Italian censuses gave very clear numbers. The Orthodox were about 20% and a bit more, Roman Catholics 10%, Bektashi Muslims about 14%, and Sunni Muslims 56%. When Hoxha visited Russia, Stalin asked him how many Orthodox there were in Albania. He replied 30%, as mentioned in the memoirs. Again, this number is not accurate.
Translate by Ioanna Georgakopoulou
