If you can read French, a translation would be handy in the combox

A Canadian reader writes:

I came across this article at an excellent Québec’ website called “Point de Bascule” (tipping point). The column is about religious conversions in Kosovo and since it’s in french, I’ll do a quick resumé.

The article states that in 2008 hundreds of Kosovar Muslims began converting to the Roman Catholic faith. It cites one Kosovar, Ismet Sopi, as saying that for the first time in his life none of the 32 members of his family will be observing Ramadan. He has officially converted to Roman Catholicism and drives 25 miles to mass every Sunday.The majority of Albanians were forcibly converted to Islam by the Ottomans, but they never forgot what their real faith was. They are now rediscovering it and reconverting to it. Sopi was Roman Catholic at home, but in public was always careful to behave like a pious Muslim. The article finishes with a quote from a Mr Muhamet Mala, a professor of religious history from Pristina, in which he states that; “50 to 60 % of Albanians are emotionally attached to Roman Catholicism and with the Ottomans now gone for nearly a century they are beginning to reveal their true religious convictions.”

It’ll be interesting to see where this trend leads over the next few years. If I stumble across more info ( this article is from Sept. 30th 2008), I will certainly forward it to you.

Good to hear!