of Catholic Church – Dielli

By Sonila Mehmeti/

SHKODRA, Nov 5 – 38 Martyrs of Catholic Church executed by the communist regime in Albania during 1945-1974 due to their religious faith were beatified on Saturday by the Vatican in a Mass organized at St. Stefan Church in Shkodra, a city steeped tradition and culture situated in northeast Albania.
This event deemed as the most important after the visit of Pope Francis and Canonization of Mother Teresa brought together thousands of believers and citizens from Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and other countries. In attendance of the Mass were senior officials of Vatican, clergymen from different countries across the world and heads of religious communities in the country.
Archbishop Massafra expressed gratitude to His Holiness Pope Francis for the gift he gave to the Albanian land by accepting to count among the Blessed and servants of God the Archbishop Vincens and his martyr companions.
The decree for beatification of 38 Martyrs of Albanian Catholic Church was signed in April by Pope Francis, an act that ranks them alongside the most renowned figures of world Catholicism.
All the Albanian Catholic clergymen have served altogether under the communist dictatorship 881 years in jail or nearly 9 centuries. Meanwhile all Albanian catholic clergymen had conducted 450 years of studies in 24 universities of Europe. Two days prior to beatification of 38 Martyrs of Catholic Church Albanian parliament passed a resolution condemning the crimes against clergy under the communist regime. This grand ceremony has drawn the attention of public opinion not only in Albania but all across the region.

***Albania marks beatification of 38 Catholic martyrs

By Urim Shera/

TIRANA, Nov 5 /ATA/-By Arbi Fortuzi/ -. November 5 is a date with historical significance, not only to Albania’s Catholic Church, but to entire Albanian nation as Albania on Saturday marks the beatification of 38 Catholic martyrs who perished under the fiercely anti-religious Communist regime between 1944 and 1969.

Around 10 000 people are attending a solemn mass that started today in the northern city of Shkodra. The mass was held by Cardinal Angelo Amato, the Pope’s Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in the Vatican.

The devotion to religion and loyalty to the Vatican was seen as a threat to the Communist regime. In 2010, Albanian church submitted to the Vatican a list of names of 40 martyrs who died in prison or were executed because of their faith during the dictatorial regime. Two of the names on the list were removed in a separate process after having passed away before the Communist era.

In April, Pope Francis officially recognized and signed a decree for the Beatification of 38 Albanian Catholic martyrs putting them alongside the most important figures of Catholicism in the world.

Today’s grand ceremony marks the completion of the six-year process, while November 5 will now be declared “Martyrs Day”. The ceremony is being held at the St.Stephen’s Catholic Cathedral and is being attended by five Cardinals, Vatican senior officials, Albanian state officials, and leaders of religious communities.