Българите католици в Македония (1879–1912): опит за статистически и демографски обзор
The Bulgarian Catholics in Macedonia (1879–1912): An Attempt at Statistic and Demographic Overview

Summary/Abstract: After the Berlin Congress (1978), which divides the Bulgarian lands, the biggest amount of Bulgarian Catholics stay within the Ottoman Empire – mostly in Macedonia and less in Edirne Thrace. Using the interdisciplinary methodology, the research studies geographical diffusion, numbers and demographic indexes of Bulgarian Catholics (respectively Uniates) in Macedonia during the period 1879–1912, something that has not been a subject for a specific research up to now. That is why the above mentioned parameters have been examined taking in consideration the following data – the official statistic data of the Ottoman Empire, the data of Bulgarian Exarchate, the catholic data (those of Congregation of the Mission, known as Lazarites etc.), as well as Bulgarian and Greek sources. The study shows the differences in particular national statistics regarding the numbers of Bulgarian Uniates and Greek and Turkish attempts to manipulate the data in order to prove their “true” nationality. Last but not least, the study traces the ebb and flow waves to the Uniats during 19th–20th centuries. As a result it concludes that although the registered outflow from the Union at the end of 19th – beginning of 20th century, on the eve of the Balkan War (1912) there is a stabilizing and certain expansion of Catholicism positions amongst Bulgarians in Macedonia at the end of the 1st decade of 20th century. Both – the data of the Catholic sources, as well as the data of Bulgarian Exarchate for the years 1911–1912 confirm this.

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