Background The
People's Socialist Republic of Albania was an
atheist state; Article 37 of the Albanian Constitution of 1976 stipulated, "The state recognizes no religion, and supports atheistic propaganda in order to implant a scientific materialistic world outlook in people." The 38 individuals were all murdered during the Communist regime between the end of
World War II in 1945 until 1974 (mostly between 1945 and 1950. They included 2 bishops as well as 21 diocesan priests and 7 from the
Order of Friars Minor. There were also 3 Jesuits and 1 seminarian killed in addition to 4 of the general faithful. At the age of ten he began his ecclesiastical studies and was a classmate of Giovanni Battista Montini – the future
Pope Paul VI. He studied at the Pontifical Lombard College in
Rome where he was later
ordained as a
priest on 9 July 1922; he entered the
Society of Jesus on 30 October 1924. He was drafted into the armed forces in 1917 and in 1920 attended a course at
Modena for this before being sent to service in Rome; he was discharged as a lieutenant in 1920 and resumed his studies. He graduated in theological studies at the
Pontifical Gregorian University. He underwent his philosophical studied in
Chieri from 1931 to 1933 and taught from 1934 to 1935 before returning for theological studies in Chieri from 1937 to 1939 just prior to the start of World War II. He returned to teaching in 1940 and on 2 February 1942 made his solemn profession. He was arrested on 31 December 1945 – sent to solitary confinement for two months and tortured – and later sentenced to death on 22 February 1946; he was shot dead at 6:00am on 4 March 1946. An aunt first educated him and an Albanian Muslim then took charge over his education. Sirdani was ordained in 1916 in Austria after having studied there and he soon returned to Albania. Sirdani delivered a homily on 26 July 1948 alluding to Communist activities in Albania and was arrested on 27 July before being tortured on 29 July and thrown into a large room that was the cesspool of all inmate bathrooms; he died of suffocation there. She – in 1946 – began work with her friend Davida Markagjoni as a teacher and she often paid for supplies herself for the benefit of the children under her ward. She often walked six or seven kilometers to get to
Mass. Tucci was arrested on 10 August 1949 and was tortured to the point where she was admitted into the civil hospital where she later succumbed to her injuries just two months later. Her last words were: "I thank God that I die free". He returned to Albania in 1921 after his ordination and the ship that carried him sank; he was known at the time for being calm in the face of this trouble. Prendushi was arrested on 5 December 1946 and shot dead in 1947. He spent time in Italy for his education and did his novitiate in
Soresina. Pantalla was arrested and tried to escape his captors when he jumped out of a window – he broke his legs and was recaptured and later died of his injuries on 31 October 1947.
Kolë Shllaku Kolë Shllaku –
Gjon in religious – was born in 1907. He became part of the Franciscans and was later ordained as a priest in 1931 in
Belgium. He made his solemn profession as a Franciscan at the age of fifteen and returned to Albania. He was arrested and sentenced to death by firing squad on 22 February 1946; he was shot to death at 6:00am on 4 March 1946. He was ordained in 1925 and celebrated his first Mass on 30 July 1925. Koda was arrested by the Communist regime and tortured for two weeks. An uncle of his led his life to the extent that Shantoja wanted to become a priest. He spent time in
Switzerland in exile during the government of
Zog I of Albania and returned after a good period of fifteen years. The Jesuits oversaw his education and he continued his studies in
Innsbruck in Austria where he learned German; he was ordained as a priest in 1920 and could play the piano. He studied for the priesthood in Rome and celebrated the Divine Liturgy – or first Mass – on 1 December 1935 at the
church of Saint Athanasius in Rome. Mihali returned to Albania in 1936. Mihali was arrested in 1945 and sentenced to a decade of hard labor in the marshes. On 26 October 1948 – while working – he collapsed from tiredness and the guards forced other workers to bury him alive; he died of suffocation.
Pal Prennushi Pal Prennushi –
Mati in religious – was born on 2 October 1881 and received his education from the Franciscans; he served as their provincial father – since becoming one – from 1943 until 1946. He studied in Austria where he was later ordained as a priest in 1904 before the Serbs arrested him in 1911 for political activism – an Albanian Franciscan secured his release even though he had been sentenced to death. Communist authorities arrested him in September 1946 and tortured him for six months. He was shot to death on 11 March 1948. ==Individuals==