▁of ▁Orth odox y ▁as ▁previously ▁Orth odox ▁Alban ian ▁nobles ▁and ▁their ▁subjects ▁converted ▁as ▁they ▁grew ▁increasing ly ▁loyal ▁to ▁the ▁Western ▁powers ▁as ▁a ▁way ▁to ▁f end ▁off ▁thre ats ▁coming ▁from ▁Orth odox ▁political ▁entities . ▁Despite ▁the ▁asc endance ▁of ▁Catholic ism ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁Orth odox ▁minor ities ▁remained . ▁Before ▁long , ▁D urr ë s ▁and ▁Kru ja ▁became ▁major ▁cent ers ▁of ▁B alk an ▁Catholic ism , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 1 6 7 ▁it ▁was ▁a ▁significant ▁event ▁when ▁Kru ja ▁became ▁a ▁Catholic ▁bishop ric , ▁with ▁the ▁new ▁bishop ▁consec r ated ▁by ▁the ▁Pope ▁himself . ▁V l ora ▁and ▁But r int ▁also ▁saw ▁Catholic ization , ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁peak ▁of ▁Catholic ▁power ▁in ▁the ▁B alk ans ▁with ▁Alban ia ▁as ▁a ▁strong hold , ▁Catholic ▁structures ▁began ▁appearing ▁as ▁far ▁af ield ▁as ▁Sk op je ▁in ▁ 1 3 2 6 . ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 4 th ▁century , ▁the ▁previously ▁Orth odox ▁Auto ce phal ous ▁Arch bishop ric ▁of ▁O hr id ▁was ▁dis m ant led ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁the ▁Catholic ▁r ite . ▁ ▁However , ▁Ott oman ▁rule ▁ultimately ▁vast ly ▁decre ased ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁C athol ics ▁in ▁Alban ia ▁and ▁elsewhere ▁in ▁the ▁B alk ans , ▁with ▁waves ▁of ▁convers ions ▁to ▁Islam ▁and ▁to ▁a ▁less er ▁extent ▁Orth odox y ▁occurr ing ▁especially ▁in ▁the ▁ 1