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The servant of God Mons. Frano M. Gjini, Bishop
Father: Pjetër
Mother: Drane
Born in Shkodër on the 20 February 1886
Baptised on the 21 February 1886
Confirmed 08
September 1893
From Diocese of Shkodër
Priestly ordination on the 28 June 1908
Elected on the 03 July 1930
Ordained Bishop
on the 28 October 1930
He was appointed Bishop of Mirdita and the Abbot of
Orosh in Mirditë (1930 – 1946).
He was appointed Bishop of Lezhë on the 04 January
1946.
From October 1945 he was the Regent of the Apostolic
Delegation of Albania, the first and the only Albanian, who succeeded
the Apostolic Delegate Mons. Leone Nigris who was sent away from
Albania.
He was arrested in Shkodër at the Apostolic
Delegation. He was imprisoned in Shkodër on the 15 November 1946.
He was condemned to death, and was shot in
Shkodra at 5 am on the 11 March 1948.
In spite of being brutally tortured he courageously
refused to found a nationalist Church separated from Rome, he replied
firmly: “ I can not separate my flock from the Holy See ”. When the
death sentence was read to him he said: “ I am dying because I remained
faithful to the low of God and opposed your lows which are contrary to
God and contrary to the people ”. While they were taking him to
execution he gave courage to his Companions, saying: “ Endure
courageously because we are dying for Christ ”. His last words were: “
Glory be to Christ the King, the Catholic teaching and all the Catholics
in the world! Long live the Pope! My life and blood remain here, but my
heart and my soul are with the Pope! Long live Albania! ”
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