Talk:Kuzman Shapkarev

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Disappointed by the fact that new Bulgarian literary language could not accept any Macedonian compromise, i.e., it would remain Thraco-Moesian, Sapkarev convinced the citizens of Resen to return the Bulgarian textbooks ordered for their school and use his Macedonian ones instead. He wrote "Edvam se oslobodivme od Grcite, sega pak Sopie li da staneme? ('We've barely freed ourselves from the Greeks-- are we to become Shopi in now?

You can find this here: Sazdov, Tome. 1975a. Zivotot i deloto na.K. Sapkarev. Skopje: 1975. This was an anonymous letter to the November 30,1870 issue of the Constantinople periodical Pravo, but It soon became clear that the writer of the anonymous letter was the owner of the bookstore in Veles which had to take back the Bulgarian textbooks returned by the citizens of Resen.

He was also supporter of creating separate Macedonian church in union with Catholic church. Here is a letter from P.R. Slaveykov to the Bulgarian Exarch, February 1874:

Your Grace, I arrived in Salonika on the evening of the 14th of last month (January 1874). I immediately went to meet all the important local people and some others from the other Macedonian towns. My aim was to gather information as son as possible on what was to be necessary for the succes of the mission with which you had entrusted me. I first met Father Averkij Zografski, and the following day Father Petar Dimitrov as well, the local president of the community. I may inform you, Your Grace, that the wind from here, from Salonika, blows and scatters to all sides. These two clergyman, to my mind, are the leaders of the movement fot the restoration of the Archbishopric of Ohrid, although one should not neglect Ohrid and to certain extent Bitola, Veles and Skopje either. The Uniate movement here is not without roots, as they think in Constantinople, especially His Grace, Count Ignatiev. During the time I have been in Macedonia I have ascertained the same we had formerly known and written three years ago. Now, as then or twenty years ago, we are dealing with the Macedonian question. In talks with few Macedonian "patriots" I have understood that this movement, which had been only bare words till a few years ago, is now clear and precise thought - "The Macedonians are not Bulgarians" and they persistenly strive, regardless of the price, to obtain a separate church of their own.

They also have the support in their separatism of smoe high clergyman in Constantinople, especially His Grace Nathaniel Ohridski, Panariot Plovdivski, and Archimandrite Hariton Karpuzov. I have understood this month from reliable sources that there are letters which arrive every day from Constantinople to the Salonika community, and are then sent to the other communities in the provinces. The letters are written in this spirit. One such letter, which the Salonika community sent to the community of Voden, calls upon the inhabitants of Voden to break off all their relations with theExarchate until the Macedonian Church question is settled, because "now is the moment". Mr. Kuzman Shapkarev from Ohrid, who is well known to us, has done a great deal to spread the idea of the restoration of the Archbishopric of Ohrid; he consatnly travels between Kukish and Ohrid and v.v., but at whose expanse, I do not know. Mr. Dimitar Makedonski, "the Macedonian textbook writer", is no less active, reciving salary as a teacher from the Exarchate and from local Lazarists.

Owing to such unreasonable sermons by the Macedonian patriots that the church question has been settled only in favor of the Bulgarians, there is discontent among the people towrds the eparchies of th4 Danube and Adrianople vilayets as well as envy because of the earlier awakening of the Bulgarians. One can especially feel a great resistance against the East Bulgarian variant in literature. A general impression is that the local people think that the Macedonians have been done a great harm with the settlement of the church question in favor of the Danubian and Thracian Bulgarians. This discontent has already grown into distrust of the Exarchate and its higher echalons. and there is an attitude formed that the local Macedonian dialect should be declared a literary language and a Macedonian hiearchy established.

Great attention, Your Grace, should be paid to His Grace Nathaniel, who promised the local people taht as soon as he comes to his eparchy he will take steps for the restoration of the Archbishopric of Ohrid. He seems to be connected with the Macedonian craftsman in Constantinople, among whom he spreads the news about the agreement with the Patriarchate. For their own part they inform their own people in Macedonia about this. It causes great discontent here. Consequently, separatism has its roots in the secret circle of Constantinople. If you press them there, the commotion wil calm down here. Silence the trumpet, there won't be any echo!

The question of Father Nil is a highly delicate one, because he has barricaded himself in Kukush and does not want to return. His ambition seems to have made him to this. He stuffed his head with the thought of becoming the Archbishop of Ohrid ar at least Metropolitan of Salonika. As an Exarchate delegate he spreads the news about the agreement with the Patriarchate as the " most informed person". He decribes the Exarchate to the people as indifferent and passive in saving the Macedonian population from Greek spiritual slavery. Father Nil, who proved to be completely immature, seems to be a hireling of the highest Turkish vilayet authorities. However, his disobidiance to his headquarters began at the moment when he was summoned to return to Constantinople. Instead of obeying orders, he remained waiting there. His disobidiance also comes as a result of the suggestions that have been arriving from Constatinople. He maintains constant relations with Bishop Panaret and Nathaniel especially with the latter, who has suggested he stay in Macedonia until he gets an appointment for Ohrid and arrives in Macedonia. I think that Father Nil should be cast out of Macedonia at any cost and sent to Constatinople, because he is dangerous here. He already acts under the protection of the local Lazarists and the French consul.

Thoughts of the restoration of the Archbishop of Ohrid at the moment are most prevalent here, in Salonika. Here the schemes are being devised and here the hotheads are gathering. These thoughts of course are not based upon mature foundation, especially since Midhat-Pasha has been dismissed from Salonika. But they are gradually spreading to northern Macedonia, although they are not very clear. Some say one thing to the people and others say another. There is danger, if steps are not taken from spme authoritative place, of creating a genral ideal. Then the consequences would be much more serious. The best thing would be if His Grace, Count Ignatiev, were to visit Macedonia, because the population feels a secret hope thet only Russia could help them.

Tomorrow, with Gos's help, I intend to meet some of the elders from the local community. I shall try to convince them of the groundlessnes of their aspirations for a separarte Church when they already have one in the form of the Exarchate. Certainly the most difficult question will be that of the appointment of bishops of Macedonian origin and especially that of the cheirotonia of Father Hariton. I kiss Your Grace's right hand.

From S. Dimevski, Dve pisma na P. R. Slaveykov za makedonizmot. - Razgledi XIV, 5(1972), p.561-566

Salonika, Fabruary 1874. Your obedient P.R. Slaveykov --Cigor 20:01, 7 February 2006 (UTC)

As I understood you said that the author of the letter 'We've barely freed ourselves from the Greeks-- are we to become Shopi in now" is anonimous, isn't it. --AleksandarH 17:43, 16 February 2006 (UTC)

Yes. Like I said ,it soon became clear that the writer of the anonymous letter was the owner of the bookstore in Veles which had to take back the Bulgarian textbooks returned by the citizens of Resen. Based on that there is no doubt. There is also one more interesting statement about his time. When he in 1855 from his teacher H. Uzunov gets "srpski bukvar, zascho toga blgarski nemashe v nashive str'ni, nito misleshe nekoi za blgarski, no sega, hvala Bogu..." (Avtobiografiia, Mak. Pr. III, 2, str45)

And guess where his teacher learns Slavic alphabet:

u vreme mitropolita Kalinika, slovensko pismo su znali samo dve osobe: Angele Grupche i Hristo Uzunov koito, kako terzii, bea otishle zaedno so Dzeladin Bega vo Skadar, i tamu od nekoi Sloveni nauchile da citaat i pishuvaat po slovenski.(Blgarski pregled, god II, IX-X, str277)

This is somewhat similar to what G. Prlicev said "bugarska azbuka samo na trojca im beshe poznata i se vikashe SRPSKA"--Cigor 18:04, 16 February 2006 (UTC)

THis letter is false. S. Dimevski invented some letters to prove the existense of a macedonian nation. Komita 14:13, 30 October 2006 (UTC)

I can not understand what is your point with the statement that the intelectuals in MC (and Thrace too) wasn't very familiar with the cirilic (Slavic) alphabet? Are you impressed by this? But if you state that the auhtor of this letter is anonimous why you impute it to K. Shapkarev in the article? --AleksandarH 19:12, 16 February 2006 (UTC)