Parallel with Lazarus missionaries in Bitola, there started another mission of the female nun order “St Vensan”. She arrived to Bitola in 1900, along with two Sisters of Mercy, with whom she opened a dispensary and a school.
In January 1901 they started working there, engaging themselves in the fields of Children treatment and teaching.
In November 1900 three Sisters of Mercy led by Sister Viole opened a French Female School in Bitola. The Sisters from the nun order “St Vensan” opened a dispensary in Bitola. In their rooms they provided the population from the city and wider surrounding with the needed medical help and care. People were treated successfully and for free and soon the Sisters, under his leadership of the Sister Viole, obtained enormous respect. They treated wounded Turkish soldiers as well.
Sister Viole regularly sent reports to France regarding the military, political and difficult economic situation of the Macedonian people and other citizens (non Muslims). She sent one in August 1903 from Bitola to Lisen Proa in Paris informing:
….”The country is in Revolution…”
“During the Ilinden rebellion battles……”
The dispensary of Sister Viole worked continuously, providing aid and assistance wholeheartedly. Besides providing medical help and care, Sister Viole managed to convince the Turkish authority to liberate a large number of Macedonians who were captured as participants in the rebellion battles.
Sister Viole together with her assistants remained in Bitola after the Ilinden rebellion.
In 1908 the number of sisters at Sister Viole’s dispensary increased to 8, where beside preventive, they adjusted a hall for surgeries, but they could not obtain the necessary instruments and apparatus for sterilization.
During the First World War the dispensary of Sister Viole worked constantly, treating wounded soldiers from both sides.
In 1915 and 1916 the epidemics in Bitola were frequently spreading; there were too many sick people and only 2 sisters, which implied that they had to be engaged tirelessly in treating and helping, handeling the difficult health situation sucessfully. She died in 1925 in Bitola.
Excerpt from: DISTINGUISHED PEOPLE FOR BITOLA - authors: Lence Andonovska, Naume Gorgievski, Blagoj Nikolov, Trajko Ognenovski, Gordana Pesevska, Aneta Stefanovska, Svetlana Taleska ; translation in english Vesna Milevska. NIUL "St. Clement Ohridski": Municipality of Bitola
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