Apostolic Administration of Southern Albania
The Apostolic Administration Southern Albania (Latin: Apostolica Administratio Albaniae Meridionalis ) is an administrative district of the Catholic Church in Albania, which is regarded as equivalent in its functions a proper diocese. It comprises the southern half of the Balkan state from Shkumbin River in the north to the Greek border in the south. Seat of the episcopal administrator is the port city of Vlora.
Officially, the südalbanische Governorship since its establishment in 1939, a diocese in which besides the Latin and the Byzantine rite is used. However, the Catholic life, which was developed only very weakly in the predominantly Orthodox and Muslim south Albania before the Second World War, completely extinguished by the religious prohibition of the Albanian Communists of 1967. The reconstruction started in recent years has been driven by foreign priests and religious who come from the Latin tradition. Therefore, it is celebrated today among Catholics southern Albania the Mass almost exclusively by the Roman rite. Only in a parish in Elbasan nor the Byzantine rite is maintained.
In the area, the largest Albanian jurisdiction district only live 3600 Believers ( 2007), which are served by 15 priests. In addition, in southern Albania are almost 100 religious sisters working. In addition to six canonical parishes, there are a number of pastoral stations for the very scattered Catholics living. Apostolic Administrator since 1996 Hil Kabashi, who hails from Kosovo. His official residence since 2008 Vlora. In the former episcopal city of Fier in the same year three Slovak Franciscans took over the ministry.
History
The origins of the Catholic Albanians of the Eastern Rite are in the period 1628-1765, as on the coasts of Epirus small communities lived, which were connected with Rome. Without any growth and weakened by numerous emigrants to Italy, which were part of the existing until today Italo - Albanian Church, it was only at the turn of the 20th century into a small upturn, as an Orthodox priest converted and built a new church, the 1912 already about 120 believers and counted to 1940 grew to about 400. Support was the small community since 1938 with their co-religionists of the Italo -Byzantine churches, which was once assumed them and now sent them some monks from the Abbey of Grottaferrata. The following year (1939 ) the apostolic administration erected; first administrator was Leone Giovanni Battista Nigris. The Apostolic delegate but was expelled in 1945. 2003, the Governorship of the Archdiocese of Durrës -Tirana was assumed.
Apostolic Administrator of Southern Albania
- Leone Giovanni Battista Nigris (1940-1945, resigned )
- Nichola Vincent Prennushi OFM (1946-1952, died )
- Ivan Dias (1992-1996, same papal nuncio in Tirana, then Archbishop of Bombay )
- Hil Kabashi OFM, since December 3, 1996