by Xhelil Arifi
Abstract
This article argues that Serbia appropriated ancient Illyro-Albanian ecclesiastical structures. It focuses on the Archbishopric of Ohrid, currently an autonomous body under the Serbian Orthodox Church, and traces its roots to the 6th-century Archbishopric of Justiniana Prima, established by Byzantine Emperor Justinian I (born in Dardania, considered Illyrian/Dardanian by the author).
The piece highlights Justinian’s creation of an independent Illyrian archbishopric with jurisdiction over large parts of the western Balkans (Dardania, Praevalitana, etc.) as an act serving his own Illyro-Dardanian people. It states that later Serbian control of the Ohrid Archbishopric constitutes historical usurpation of originally Illyro-Albanian/Illyrian church heritage.
The Orthodox Archbishopric of Ohrid is an autonomous Eastern Orthodox archbishopric of the Serbian Orthodox Church with jurisdiction over the territory of North Macedonia
This Archbishopric claims succession from the Archbishopric of Ohrid of Justiniana Prima and All Bulgaria, which was established in 1019 by the Byzantine Emperor Basil II after he downgraded the status of the autocephalous Bulgarian Patriarchate. It was abolished by the Ottomans in 1767. The Bulgarian Orthodox Church also claims succession from the Archbishopric of Ohrid of Justiniana Prima and All Bulgaria.
Justiniana Prima was an Eastern Roman city that existed from 535 to 615 AD, near modern Lebane in the Leskovac region of Serbia. Today it is an archaeological site. Founded by Emperor Justinian I (527–565), it served as the metropolitan seat of the newly established Archbishopric of Justiniana Prima, which became the main ecclesiastical administrative body for central Dardania, with jurisdiction extending from Praevalitana to Dacia Ripensis.
Justiniana Prima was founded by Emperor Justinian I in 535. Built on the site of Tauresium, a remote village, it existed until 615 and was designed as the seat of the Archbishopric of Justiniana Prima. The Archbishop of the Illyrians (‘Ιλλυριών άρχιερεύς’), seated in Justiniana Prima, had jurisdiction over Dacia Ripensis, Dacia Mediterranea, the northern part of Moesia Superior, Dardania, Macedonia Salutaris (removed in 545), and the territory of Praevalitana (Wikipedia).
The establishment of the Archbishopric is mentioned in Justinian’s Novel XI of 535, when he elevated the Metropolitan to Archbishop, independent from the Archbishop of Thessalonica. This move is seen as part of the dispute between Justinian and the Archbishop of Eastern Illyricum, who was a papal vicar (Wikipedia).
Who was Justinian?
Justinian I (482 – 14 November 565), also known as Justinian the Great, was Roman Emperor from 527 to 565.
According to Justinian’s biographer Procopius, the emperor was born in 482 in Tauresium in Dardania, located either near Skopje in North Macedonia or near the city of Naissus (modern Niš).
As you can understand from the above lines, this ecclesiastical organization — before it was usurped by the Serbian Church — was founded by a Dardanian emperor who was creating an organization for his own Illyro-Dardanian people.
Photo: 1912 – Soldiers of the occupying Serbian infantry entering Ohrid.
