Thirty-eight Martyrs of Albania

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Side altar in Shkodra Cathedral , dedicated to the thirty-eight martyrs

The Thirty - Eight Martyrs of Albania are victims of the Enver Hoxha regime in Albania , persecuted for their faith and who died between 1945 and 1974. In the People's Republic of Albania , where state-imposed atheism was practiced, members of the Catholic Church in particular were persecuted and murdered. The  beatification by the Holy See took place on November 5, 2016 in Shkodra .

background

After the Second World War , the Catholic Church was subjected to severe persecution by the communist regime, which had taken power after the Wehrmacht had withdrawn . From 1967 all religious activities were banned in Albania . Even before that, people who practiced their beliefs had faced severe reprisals. Albania became the first officially atheist state in the world. All religious houses were closed, and the properties of the religious communities had already been confiscated. The slightest religious activity such as a privately celebrated baptism could be punished with death. Catholic priests , monks and nuns were arrested particularly frequently, and they often died or simply disappeared because of bad treatment. A total of seven bishops and 111 priests, a dozen candidates for the priesthood and as many nuns died or were executed in custody. In addition, around 1,800 Catholic, Orthodox and Muslim houses of worship were destroyed, while the others were used for new purposes. Enver Hoxha had been planning since 1945 to found a national Catholic church that was independent of the Pope and that he could control.

On September 21, 2014, Ernest Simoni , who had been imprisoned in labor camps for many years , testified to Pope Francis on the occasion of his visit to Albania about the communist terror: torture, shooting of priests and lay people, many of whom said as their last word: Long live Jesus Christ , the king.

The Catholic Church and all other religious institutions in Albania could only be reestablished in 1991 after the regime was overthrown. Since then, services can be held again and the religious movements can develop freely. The 1998 constitution guarantees human rights , including freedom of religion . The seat of the Archbishop of Durrës , vacant since 1949, was reoccupied in 1992.

Beatification and Canonization

On November 10, 2002, the Archdiocese of Shkodra-Pult opened the process for the beatification and canonization of thirty-eight of the religiously persecuted. As a symbol of the revival of religions in Albania, this matter was supported by Pope Francis, who also expressed himself accordingly on the occasion of the trip to Albania in 2014. At that time the portraits of the martyrs were exhibited along the main boulevard of Tirana , the Bulevardi Dëshmorët e Kombit . The Holy Father paid them homage time and again as he drove down the street.

On April 26, 2016, after the Congregation for the Causes of Saints considered the matter for three years, Pope Francis confirmed that they had died hating the faith and granted them the title of martyrs . The beatification of the thirty-eight martyrs took place on November 5, 2016 in Shkodra. The Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Cardinal Angelo Amato , presided over the celebrations on behalf of Pope Francis.

List of martyrs

One of the 38: Alfons Tracki

1945

  • Lazër Shantoja (September 2, 1892 - March 5, 1945), priest of the Archdiocese of Shkodra-Pult
  • Ndre Zadeja (November 3, 1891 - March 25, 1945), priest of the Shkodra-Pult Archdiocese

1946

1947

1948

1949

1950s

  • Gaspër Suma (March 23, 1897 - April 16, 1950), Franciscan
  • Maria Tuci (March 12, 1928 - October 24, 1950), layperson
  • Jul Bonati (May 24, 1874 - November 5, 1951), priest of the Archdiocese of Tirana-Durrës
  • Karl Serreqi (February 2, 1911 - April 5, 1954), Franciscan
  • Ndoc Suma (July 31, 1887 - April 22, 1958), priest of the Shkodra-Pult Archdiocese
  • Dedë Malaj (November 16, 1917 - May 12, 1959), priest of the Archdiocese of Shkodra-Pult

1960s

  • Marin Shkurti (October 1, 1933 - April 1, 1969), priest of the Shkodra-Pult Archdiocese

1970s

  • Shtjefën Kurti (December 24, 1898 - October 20, 1971), priest of the Shkodra-Pult Archdiocese
  • Mikel Beltoja (May 9, 1935 - February 10, 1974), priest of the Shkodra-Pult Archdiocese

literature

  • Ndoc Nogaj: Shtypi katolik shqiptar për kishën katolike shqiptare martire . Shkodra 2004.
  • Pjetër Pepa: The Criminal File of Albania's Communist Dictator . Uegen, Tirana 2003, ISBN 99927-54-27-3 .
  • Leonardo di Pinto OFM: Imzot Vinçenc Prennushi me shokë martirë: Profile history hagjiographics . tape 1 . Enti Botues Arqipeskhvia Metropolitane Shkodër-Pult, Shodra 2016, ISBN 978-99927-955-8-3 .
  • Leonardo di Pinto OFM: Imzot Vinçenc Prennushi me shokë martirë: Profile history hagjiographics . tape 2 . Enti Botues Arqipeskhvia Metropolitane Shkodër-Pult, Shkodra 2016, ISBN 978-99927-955-9-0 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Anita Bourdin: Remember the Priest Who Made Francis Cry in Albania? He's the Only Non-Bishop on the List of New Cardinals. In: Zenit. October 10, 2016, accessed October 31, 2016 .
  2. ^ Promulgazione di Decreti della Congregazione delle Cause dei Santi. In: Daily Bulletin. Holy See Press Office , April 27, 2016, accessed November 8, 2016 (Italian).