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the first Macedonian Orthodox church in Germany
A community of Orthodox Christians built a church in Mainz.
It is the first Macedonian Orthodox church in Germany. The project comes without a single euro grant from the mother church or from public coffers. The site has welded together the immigrants from the former Yugoslavia and their children.
How many hours he spent on the site, Naum Kosarkoski has never counted. "I do not work for money, but that my family stays healthy," said the electrician from the Hessian Moerfelden-Walldorf. St. Nicholas of Myra is the judge. In his honor arises amidst dismal industrial and office buildings in an industrial park in Mainz currently a Byzantine jewel - the first Macedonian Orthodox Church in Germany. Expensive than a million € financed construction of the church itself entirely from funds raised - and with the help of several volunteer construction worker.
"We are like one big family that gets more and more children," said Mirce Filiposki, the 34-year-old community leaders. Since construction began, a whole series have reported new community members who wanted to help all. That many sponsors suddenly appeared out of nowhere and wanted to participate in the project, he still has no proper explanation. At least none that would do without divine powers. "Things are happening that are not normal," says the entrepreneur, the owner of a temporary employment agency with several hundred employees.
To see two hexagonal towers
Since its foundation stone was laid in the autumn of 2009 a lot has happened already on the property on the southern outskirts of Mainz. Meanwhile, two hexagonal spiers soar into the sky Rheinhessen, and also the adjacent community center, the future priest's house completed as a shell. An artist from Serbia should make in the coming years, crafted a splendid iconostasis.
"This is the first church that we build," says Zoran Trajcev, whose company usually built apartment buildings with condominiums for German buyers. The construction manager who was previously not a practicing Christian, was the Orthodox Church on the outskirts of Mainz himself now a matter of the heart. For the work he did no more than the material costs.
When a small group of former guest workers from the southern republic of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s in Mainz, founded a church and a Catholic chapel was true worship would come no one on the idea of building ever own Macedonian church. "We thought, let's go back home," says the founding chairman Jovan Zafirovski. Today, the older Orthodox Christians, who have handed over the affairs of the community several years ago to their children, all very proud of their commitment.
"Surprised that there are many young people so"
Nevertheless, it is currently not clear how and when the remaining amount needed for the completion of the church comes together. Currently the municipality may be too high even as the Memorial Day celebration of its patron saint, to make of St. Nicholas, a priest from Macedonia to be flown. At such meetings, the community makes a pretense of many candles in the future church. "I was surprised that so many young people there are," says Father Fotij, a monk with a long flowing beard, who lives in a monastery in the mountains and came only for a few days from the Balkans to Germany.
Inside the temple is still future gewerkelt strong. An artist from Serbia should make in the coming years, crafted a splendid iconostasis.
By the will of the Macedonians to their own church, a place where the children born in Germany and grandson of the first immigrants to preserve their culture. The plan is about language and religious education for the Rhine-Main region grew third-generation immigrants. "We do not want that here in 20 years Sunday liturgy is celebrated, but no one understands a word of it," says Mirce Filiposki. At the same time to the Orthodox Church "St. Nikola" according to the will of the community once a cultural asset for all of Mainz.
So far, the Macedonians with the city, but also have with other Christian churches in Mainz had good experiences. But it is precisely during the community festival on a Sunday afternoon, the clerk's office distributed masses of nodules on the Orthodox Christians, who in the deserted industrial area, not all parked correctly. Many leave the party so quickly again, much to the annoyance of the municipal council. He had expected that the visitors still eat thoroughly, drink, and would donate. "We do not need just any €" complains about the relentless traffic Filiposki guard.
How many hours he spent on the site, Naum Kosarkoski has never counted. "I do not work for money, but that my family stays healthy," said the electrician from the Hessian Moerfelden-Walldorf. St. Nicholas of Myra is the judge. In his honor arises amidst dismal industrial and office buildings in an industrial park in Mainz currently a Byzantine jewel - the first Macedonian Orthodox Church in Germany. Expensive than a million € financed construction of the church itself entirely from funds raised - and with the help of several volunteer construction worker.
"We are like one big family that gets more and more children," said Mirce Filiposki, the 34-year-old community leaders. Since construction began, a whole series have reported new community members who wanted to help all. That many sponsors suddenly appeared out of nowhere and wanted to participate in the project, he still has no proper explanation. At least none that would do without divine powers. "Things are happening that are not normal," says the entrepreneur, the owner of a temporary employment agency with several hundred employees.
To see two hexagonal towers
Since its foundation stone was laid in the autumn of 2009 a lot has happened already on the property on the southern outskirts of Mainz. Meanwhile, two hexagonal spiers soar into the sky Rheinhessen, and also the adjacent community center, the future priest's house completed as a shell. An artist from Serbia should make in the coming years, crafted a splendid iconostasis.
"This is the first church that we build," says Zoran Trajcev, whose company usually built apartment buildings with condominiums for German buyers. The construction manager who was previously not a practicing Christian, was the Orthodox Church on the outskirts of Mainz himself now a matter of the heart. For the work he did no more than the material costs.
When a small group of former guest workers from the southern republic of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s in Mainz, founded a church and a Catholic chapel was true worship would come no one on the idea of building ever own Macedonian church. "We thought, let's go back home," says the founding chairman Jovan Zafirovski. Today, the older Orthodox Christians, who have handed over the affairs of the community several years ago to their children, all very proud of their commitment.
"Surprised that there are many young people so"
Nevertheless, it is currently not clear how and when the remaining amount needed for the completion of the church comes together. Currently the municipality may be too high even as the Memorial Day celebration of its patron saint, to make of St. Nicholas, a priest from Macedonia to be flown. At such meetings, the community makes a pretense of many candles in the future church. "I was surprised that so many young people there are," says Father Fotij, a monk with a long flowing beard, who lives in a monastery in the mountains and came only for a few days from the Balkans to Germany.
Inside the temple is still future gewerkelt strong. An artist from Serbia should make in the coming years, crafted a splendid iconostasis.
By the will of the Macedonians to their own church, a place where the children born in Germany and grandson of the first immigrants to preserve their culture. The plan is about language and religious education for the Rhine-Main region grew third-generation immigrants. "We do not want that here in 20 years Sunday liturgy is celebrated, but no one understands a word of it," says Mirce Filiposki. At the same time to the Orthodox Church "St. Nikola" according to the will of the community once a cultural asset for all of Mainz.
So far, the Macedonians with the city, but also have with other Christian churches in Mainz had good experiences. But it is precisely during the community festival on a Sunday afternoon, the clerk's office distributed masses of nodules on the Orthodox Christians, who in the deserted industrial area, not all parked correctly. Many leave the party so quickly again, much to the annoyance of the municipal council. He had expected that the visitors still eat thoroughly, drink, and would donate. "We do not need just any €" complains about the relentless traffic Filiposki guard.
As a self-respecting Macedonian I could never do this.
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