In Shkodra, the Catholic parish of this city held an event with the families of 40 martyrs killed by the communist regime because of their religious faith.
The parish priest of Shkodra, Dom Arthur Jaku praised the resistance of the martyrs and their families. He said that this year is important for Albania as it is expected that Pope Francis to announce they Martyrs of the Church, making their names known worldwide.
Most of these Martyrs are:1. Maria Tuci, born in Rëshen, tortured and locked in a bag, along with a cat, which was hit with a stick. A virgin and Maryr.
2. Dom Ndre Zadeja born in Shkodra in 1892. Poet and priest. Dom Ndre was imprisoned and killed for his religious servises on a victim, a resident of Shkodra that refused to deliver weapons.
3. Dom Dede Plani born in Shkoder in 1891. Killed because he refused to accept publicly the denial of Church and God.
4. Father Gasper Suma, born in Shkodra in 1897, severely attacked by the communists. Faik Konica described him as a humble man, with great spirit, suffered two heavy sentences. Tumor in the brain and by the regime. He died in prison in 1950.
5. Father Ciprian Nika was born in 1900 in Shkodra. Killed because he hide weapons in the Franciscan Church of Gjuhadolit. Died because of severe tortures.
6. Brother John Pantalia born in Prizren in 1887, was among the first arrested and died in hospital, having suffered unspeakable horrors.
7. Father Giovanni Fausti, Italian priest who held in Albania the vice-provincial task. Shot in the head by communists.
8. Father Daniel Dajani, Albanian Jesuit priests were executed in Shkodra in 1946.
9. Father Bernardin Palaj, "God does not release our hand" it is just one of the phrases he wrote. The priest and great poet will die in the Assembly of the Franciscans in Shkodra, turned in prison for 700 people. Died from security under torture.
10. Dom Zef Maksen, German priest was killed in 1946 by uttering the words: "I am happy to die as a priest of the faith of Christ"
11. Monsignor Vincenc Prennushi, was imprisoned and tortured because he refused to abandon his Albanian Church by the Holy See; He died on March 19, 1949 in prison.
12. Monsignor Bishop Frano Gjini, is not surrendered before severe tortures, he refused to disassociate the Church from the Pope. It was shot on March 11, 1948.
13. Monsignor Jul Bonati, born in 1874 in Shkodra, a great intellectual priest, died in prison of Durres.
14. Dom Alfons Tracki, German priest, tortured and shot on July 18, 1946, at the age of 50
15. Dom Anton Muzaj born in Kosovo on March 19, 1921 was inhumanly tortured, only because he refused to disavow religion. As they broke his feet and hands, was released from prison and sent home, where he died among terrible pain after a few days, at the age of 29.
16. Dom Anton Zogaj, born in Mirdita in 1908, became vicar of Durres, was imprisoned and tortured. Left sealed for a few days in a filthy bathroom, while waiting for the day of the shooting.
17. Dom Dedë Maçaj, was born in Shkodra in 1920, accused of spying for the Vatican, was tortured, tried and executed for his heroic religion resistance, age 27.
18. Dom Dede Malaj born in Velipojë in 1917, defended Christianity in the trial organized against him, which sentenced him to death. Shot at the shore of Lake Skadar on May 12, 1959.
19. Dom Ejëll Deda born in Shkodra in 1917, the parish priest of Bushat, arrested though he was a priest, died on May 12, 1948 in the prison of the Hospital after inhuman torture.
20. Dom Jak Bushati was born in Shkodra in 1890, accused for helping saboteurs, for agitation and propaganda. Shot without trial on February 12, 1949.
21. Bishop Frano Gjini was born in Shkodra, whose martyrdom surpassed every human criminal fantasy, remained unbowed before the tortures after refusing to disassociate the Church from the Pope, was sentenced to death and was executed on March 11, 1948.
22. Papa Joseph Michael was born in Elbasan in 1912, a Catholic priest, was arrested because of his mission, gave the list sign in Maliq, where he was drowned alive in the mud of the swamp, at the extermination camp
23. Dom Lazer Shantoja was born in Shkodra in 1892, a priest and a man of culture. When communists began to massacre him, his mother asked them to shot him as soon as possible.
24. Dom Leke Sirdani born in Milot, an outstanding personality of the Catholic Church, the priest, patriot and writer. He was tortured and drowned alive in a sink.
25. Dom Luigh Prendushi was born in Shkodra in 1896 was arrested, tortured and executed as a spy of Vatican on January 24, 1947.
26. Dom Marin Shkurti was born in February 1933, became a priest in 1961, he served briefly by the time of the Church with open doors and dared heroically to continue priestly at the time of terror. He was arrested, therefore, was tortured and was executed in 1969.
27. Dom Mark Gjani otherwise known as St. George Pulaj, born in 1909, he was arrested for his priestly activity and died during the terrible torture in prison.
28. Dom Mikel Beltoja was born in 1935 when he openly defended the religious ideals in the trial that was made after six months of torture, sentenced to death.
29. Dom Shtjefën Kurti was born in Kosovo in 1898, was shot before the residents of Gurëzit. Providing the accuse that he allegedly wanted to poison the people using bakeries. And he had baptized a child. Dom Kurti wrote to the Pope, showing the truth, that they should never cross the border surrounded by barbed wire.
30. Father John Shllaku born in Shkodra in 1907, graduated in Louvain, Belgium, Holland and later at the Sorbonne in Paris, where he received a doctoral and became a priest on March 15 1931. It was shot on March 4, 1946 together with Father Fausti, Dajani, Mark Çuni and others secular.
31. Mark Çuni was born in Shkodra on September 30 1919. Was accused as the founder of the organization "Albanian Union", was arrested, convicted and executed on March 4, 1946, simultaneously with the Jesuit superiors.
32. Father Karl Serreqi was born in Shkodra in 1911. The priest who refused to speak the story of a wounded in clashes with the communists in the mountain, passed his life in prison, died on April 4, 1954. It is one of the rare secret martyrs of the story in the history of the Church.
33. Father Serafin Koda was born in Kosovo in 1893 and died in Lezha in 1947. Franciscan friar, died after communist investigators, not being satisfied with the common torture, tore his throat with nails.
34. Father Luigj Paliqi is one of martyrs before the communism. Born in 1879 in Kosovo, was assassinated by Serbs.
35. Dom John Gazulli also belongs to the era before the communism, was hanged by Ahmet Zogu in a street of Shkodra in 1927.
36. Father Giovanni Fausti, Italian Jesuit missionary, shot to death.
37. Father Daniel Dajani, Albanian Jesuit, shot to death.
38. Father John Shllaku, Albanian Franciscan, shot to death.
39. Mark Çuni, shot to death.
40. George Bici, shot to death.