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| Pope Clement XI (Giovanni Francesco Albani) and Coat of Arms of the Albani family |
By Lutfi Alia
On December 8, 1700, Pope Clement XI (Giovanni Francesco Albani) was elected head of the Holy See. His father, Karl Albani (1623 - 1684), was a descendant of the old noble family of Mikel Laçi, the captain of Kurbin, who had served in the army of Gjergj Kastriot and after the death of the presidency, emigrated to Urbino, where he was welcomed by Count Federico III of Montefeltro. Michael's two sons, George and Philip, passed into the service of Francesco Della Rovere, duke of Urbino, who took over the duchy after the death of Count Montefeltro (1508), who left no heir. In 1508, Francesco Della Rovere changed their surname from Laçi to Albania, to express their Albanian origin. (Pompeo Litta: Della Rovere di Savona, in Famiglie celebri italiane, vol. 12, Milan, 1834). (Gianluca Montinaro. Fra Urbino e Firenze. Politics e diplomacy nel tramonto dei Della Rovere 1574-1631, EdizioneLeo S. Olschki, Firenze 2009).
With George and Philip, in the early sixteenth century, continued the history of the dynasty of the Albani family, represented by many descendants, who were prominent in the history of Italy, among whom are Pope Clement XI (1649 - 1721); eight cardinals (1570 - 1801), a senator of the monocratic period (1624) and from 1721 onwards four Albanian princes, until the extinction of the male line in 1852.
Karl Albani, in 1647 married Elena Moska, daughter of the Marquis of Moscow of Pesaro. On July 23, 1649, in Urbino was born Giovanni Francesco Albani - John Francesc Albani - Pope Clement XI. Before he was one year old, his mother Elena died. John Francesc Albani, his aunt, Giulia Albani (1630 - 1718), Karl's sister, an authoritative woman, distinguished for her high cultural education, married to Giovanni Andrea Degli Abati Olivieri. (Ludwig von Pastor, Storia dei Papi, XV, Rome, 1933). (Alfredo Reumont Source: Archivio Storico Italiano, Nuova Serie, Vol. 1, No. 1 (1) 1855), pp. 196- 216 Published by: Casa Editrice Leo S. Olschki).
After his first lessons in Pesaro and the education of his aunt, at the age of 11, John Francis Albani was sent to Rome to the Jesuit college, where he completed his educational and religious training. Under the direction of the famous Pierre Possines, he mastered ancient Greek, where he cultivated a talent for classical languages and trained in Italian translation of Latin and Ancient Greek scripts. While attending college, he translated from Greek into Latin an omen of the Sophron of Jerusalem dedicated to the saints Pietro and Paolo and a eulogy for St. Maco the Evangelist, written by Deacon Procopius, this translation was even included in Acta Santorum, Aprilis, Tomus III. The same year they sent it to the Monastery of Grottaferrata, to translate into Latin the second part of the Menologio of Basil II. After graduating from college he enrolled at the University of Rome where he graduated "in utroque iure - in civil and canon law". At the age of 19 (in 1668), he won the title of doctor in Urbino. His skills became known in a short time, Christina, Queen of Sweden, invited him to the Swedish Academy. There John Francis became friends with the most famous writers, poets, painters, philosophers and composers of that time. In 1673, with powers as a jurist, he drafted the statute of the synod of Farfa and Subiako, wrote the text with the critiques of neoptism, which was approved and proclaimed by Pope Innocent XII with the bull Romanum decet pontificem. Due to his culture and legal competencies and skills in leading the Church, she was an advisor to Pope Alexander VIII and Pope Innocent XII. The Roman Curia praised him for his skills, culture, honesty, as an incorruptible clergyman and consistent in attitudes against nepotism.
On November 23, 1700, in the Apostolic Palace, the council of cardinals elected Pope John Frances Albani, who preferred the name Clement XI. Gjon Francesk Albani, did not immediately accept the decision of the conclave, but asked for three days to reflect. On November 30, the newly elected Pope was proclaimed Bishop and on December 8, 1700 he was crowned the 243th Pope on the throne of St. Peter. He served at the head of the Catholic Church until March 19, 1721, the day he ascended to eternity.
In the first proclaimed acts he insisted on the strengthening of the Catholic Church, opposed all the efforts of friends and family to take advantage on his behalf, to obtain political, religious posts, titles of nobility and public titles. There is merit in the eradication of Jansenism, even in collaboration with Louis XIV of France, Pope Clement XI proclaimed the Apostolic Constitution "Vineam Domini Sabaoth" (July 17, 1705) and the punishment of Jansenists as heretics (Bula Unigenitus Dei Filius del 1713). Following the efforts of his predecessor Pope Innocent XII, Pope Clement XI, restored the Coptic Catholic Church as well as the Maronite church.
Pope Clement XI, renewed relations with the homeland of the family's origin, was very committed to the political rebirth and religious affairs of Arberia. In 1701 he declared: "The recovery of Arbër and the revival of national consciousness, will come by preserving the language, religion, and history of the ancients, which represent symbols of national unity."
In 1702, by decision of Pope Clement XI, was established the college for the Arbëresh of Italy in Saint Miter Corone, where many clergymen were trained, who then went on apostolic missions to the lands of the homeland. The clergy educated in this college, mainly served in the Arbëresh churches, were masses, rites, and religious ceremonies, catechisms, and cremation take place in the Arbëresh dialect, ie the Albanian language, which was spoken in our lands in the XV century. In this college, many Albanians studied, who after being ordained priests, returned to their homeland, where they served with devotion in preserving and strengthening the Catholic faith and at the same time realized writings in the Albanian language by direct order of Pope Clement XI, Brother Francesco Maria Da Lecce in 1702 compiled the Italian-Albanian dictionary "Dittionario italiano-albanese" and in 1716 the grammar of the Albanian language "Osservazioni gramaticali nella lingua albanese". This book has served for a long time for teaching the grammar of the Albanian language, both for the clergy who served in the Arberian churches and for the students who attended the schools of catechism and the schools of literacy in the Albanian language.
By decision and under the auspices of Pope Clement XI, was held the Assembly of Arber (the first religious council of the Albanian nation) in the Church of St. John the Baptist, in Merkinje, near today Lezha, on the second Sunday of the Epiphany (Water Day of Blessed), on January 14 - 15, 1703. This important assembly marked radical changes in the line of action of the clergy, on dogmatic, moral, canonical and episcopal issues in the Arberian territories, as well as set tasks for the opening of schools in the Albanian language. In the act of the Assembly of Arbër, the measures for the well-being of schools in the Albanian language were dedicated to chapter V, part IV, where it was emphasized: "Teachers should not neglect the teaching of writing and reading in Albanian ...".
In this assembly, Archbishop Monsignor Zmajevic delivered the opening speech of this local ecclesiastical council. It shows the joy and hope that, after so many centuries of Turkish tyranny, such a gathering became possible. Monsignor Zmajevic reminded all the participating bishops of the Assembly of Arber, the messages of Pope Clement XI, with the duty to take care with all their might to revive the religious life of the people, and to work for the renewal of the clergy, for the freedom of the Catholic religion and the freedom of the people from the centuries-old yoke of the Ottoman Empire. In the Assembly of Abër, participants analyzed the internal ecclesiastical aspects: the administration of the Sacraments, the celebration of liturgical rites, religious freedom and on the other hand the state of the population in social reality, under Ottoman rule, with all the serious problems he experienced every day, especially with the risk of losing national identity and the Albanian language.
In conclusion, the decisions of the Council of Arber, written in Albanian and Latin by Monsignor Zmajevic himself, were presented to the Pope for consideration and, after approval by the Pope, on January 28, 1704, were published by Propaganda Fide under the title "Assembly of Arben o Council Provincial, they gathered 1703 from the Arberian Clement XI, Pope the Great".
Monsignor Zmajevic accompanied the decisions of the assembly with a letter addressed to Pope Clement XI, through which it is clear that the Albanian Catholic clergy stood by their people in joy and oil and preceded its national rebirth. I am briefly presenting the letter sent to Pope Clement XI, by Monsignor Zmajevic:
I obey your order; I brought you to earth; I asked for the brightness; I saw his wounds. I saw, - uh, what a pain, - put under tribute what once was the despot of the Provinces; I saw (Arbëninë) The lady of the cattle crushed under the heel, with severe pains; the shield of the brave - collapse; the wall of our strength - demolish! I saw jinnee, enter the holy place; churches, "flligta"; stained stains. I could hardly see a place where the people could gather in the assembly! I saw your elders sitting; Priests, ...
During the pontificate, Pope Clement XI announced the organization of three extraordinary anniversaries with motivations: a. for the inauguration of the pontificate (at Christmas 1701); b. for peaceful relations between Christian princes (1706); c. praying to God to help the Venetians take up arms against the Turks (May 31, 1715).
With the bull Comissi nobis (December 6, 1708), proclaimed universally the feast of the Immaculate Conception; on February 4, 1714 with a special decree decided the celebrations of St. Giuseppe, with official mass etc., so for the merits of our Pope are celebrated even today in all countries of the Catholic world.
In 1701, Pope Clement XI approved the establishment of the Academy of Ecclesiastical Nobles (now the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy), for the diplomatic education of clergy and noble families, the academy still functioning today, for the formation of charge priests. diplomatic of the Holy See.
In the Vatican and widely in Rome, there are many constructions and works made to order and under the care and financial support of Pope Clement XI himself, works that are preserved today, among which we list: The project of the inner gate of the Palace of the Conservatives (work of Aleksandër Speki realized in 1705); remodeling of the facade of the church of St. Sylvester; in 1702; ordered the reconstruction of the Gate on the façade of St. Mary Transtrevere Basilica (Carlo Fontana project); reconstructed the church of St. Theodore in Palatino (currently Orthodox church); the fountain was built opposite the church of Saint Pietro in Montorio (by Karl Fontana); the church of St. Mary of the Angels was built...
During the pontificate, Pope Clement XI announced the organization of three extraordinary anniversaries with motivations: a. for the inauguration of the pontificate (at Christmas 1701); b. for peaceful relations between Christian princes (1706); c. praying to God to help the Venetians take up arms against the Turks (May 31, 1715).
With the bull Comissi nobis (December 6, 1708), proclaimed universally the feast of the Immaculate Conception; on February 4, 1714 with a special decree decided the celebrations of St. Giuseppe, with official mass etc., so for the merits of our Pope are celebrated even today in all countries of the Catholic world.
In 1701, Pope Clement XI approved the establishment of the Academy of Ecclesiastical Nobles (now the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy), for the diplomatic education of clergy and noble families, the academy still functioning today, for the formation of charge priests, diplomatic of the Holy See.
In the Vatican and widely in Rome, there are many constructions and works made to order and under the care and financial support of Pope Clement XI himself, works that are preserved today, among which we list: The project of the inner gate of the Palace of the Conservatives (work of Aleksandër Speki realized in 1705); remodeling of the facade of the church of St. Sylvester; in 1702; ordered the reconstruction of the Gate on the St. Mary Transtrevere Basilica (Carlo Fontana project); reconstructed the church of St. Theodore in Palatino (currently Orthodox church); the fountain was built opposite the church of Saint Pietro in Montorio (by Karl Fontana); the church of St. Mary of the Angels (currently known as Linea Clementina) was built; the facade of the church of Saint XII Apostles was reconstructed; in St. Sebastian Basilica outside the walls, he built the Albani chapel (in honor of the Albani family); in 1715 the Triton fountain was built in the square "Mouth of truth"; in 1711 he erected the obelisk of the Pantheon; built the Civitavechia aqueduct etc., etc.
During the 21 years of the Pontificate, Pope Clement XI made an outstanding contribution to the strengthening of the church, but also to the urban, economic and cultural development of Rome and the Vatican City State.
In the second week of March 1721, he was not feeling well, yet he continued his activities full of dynamism, without complaining. On March 18, after celebrating the morning mass, unexpectedly his health deteriorated with fever, chest pain, especially on the left side, with cough and bodily weakness, which forced him to lie in bed. On the 19th of March the condition was aggravated by fever and difficulty in breathing from pneumonia, which blocked his breathing, and around noon Pope Clement XI ascended to eternity near the Father.
The body of Pope Clement XI (John Francis Albani) is placed on the floor of the Chapel of the Choir of St. Peter's Basilica, covered with a porphyry marble slab (reddish color). The Capitol of St. Peter has approved the celebration every year of March 19, in honor of the remarkable work of Pope Clement XI.