The history of the Roma is not as well known as many other minorities in Europe. Some historians assisted by linguists and studies on DNA report that the most likely origin of this community is from Northwestern India. It is reported that an Ottoman Sultan was gifted a large community of people from a Mughal dynasty. This particular group was talented in metal working and valued for their skills.
When the Ottomans overtook Eastern Europe, they brought their Roma metal workers with them throughout the 16th century after the fall of Constantinople. When the empire fell, left these people to fend for themselves, much to their personal danger and the ire of indigenous populations.
Forced to live nomadic lifestyles, the Roma were seen as the harbingers of disease, corruption and evil. They adapted to their way of life and were quite insulated for centuries. Persecuted by Christians and included in the “final solution” of the Nazi regime, under communism, the Roma were forced to adhere to the nation state where they were most recently located. Their language was taken away, and they were given names of the country they lived in. The Roma were mainstreamed so to speak, given houses and access to education.
Pogroms and Forced Dislocations
When Communism fell there was great cultural and economic upheaval. In historic tradition, local populations focused their anxieties and anger upon the Roma with pogroms and forced dislocations. Absent from the Western Press was the plight of the Roma within Europe, which created the largest internal displacement of people on the continent since World War II. Within communities that remained, the Roma were often segregated to ghettos, and were denied employment in the broader economy. Without resources or access to the broader economy, many Roma resorted to illicit trades.
Many nations along with the European Union and the United Nations have implemented programs to address the Roma situation with varying results. This community , beginning in Kyustendil and then spreading throughout the Balkans and other Roma diaspora has been the focus of The International Fellowship of St John’s. Through the values of expressing the love of Christ and spreading the Gospel, the founders and pastors of the Fellowship have given dignity and respect to the Roma of Kyustendil.
Assisting the churches in the area, and planting new ones throughout Bulgaria, Macedonia, Serbia and Albania, the healing message of the Gospel is inspiring lives, saving souls and bringing much needed services to the most marginalized of communities in the region. In the coming posts, we will explore the pastors, communities and initiatives of the newly formed Christian Communities supported by the Foundation.