ZEFI LEONARD TAGAJ - 4 FEBRUARY

Saints celebrated on the 4th of February

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ZEFI LEONARD TAGAJ, PRIEST AND MARTYR

With the beginning of the communist regime, persecution of Albanian Christians began: church schools were closed, church publishers were no longer allowed to print, and church buildings were converted. Practicing the faith (e.g. in the visible form of a sign of the cross) was punishable by imprisonment and torture.

Under the communist regime (1944-1990), almost all of the country's clerics were tortured and murdered. Often there was no charge and no verdict. If there was an accusation, it usually involved alleged non-religious reasons. In some cases a death sentence was pronounced, in others the prisoners were tortured to death, in others they were executed without a verdict. Many Christian clergy had the opportunity to escape this persecution by leaving the country, as most had studied and made contacts abroad. They chose to stay in their country with their flocks and with their communities.

Having studied at the Franciscan Seminary in Troshan, Pater Zefi Tagaj (baptised Leonard) continued his studies in Rome and Innsbruck (Austria). He was ordained a priest on July 19, 1936 and was appointed as vicar in Traboin in Hoti. He then served in Kosovo, Montenegro, and the Great Highlands. The Yugoslav communists, in alliance and friendship with the Albanian communists, started violence and mass murders against the Albanians in the former Yugoslavia. Although warned about the arrival of the communist forces, Pater Zefi refused to flee to safety, thereby deserting his flock. When the communist forces surrounded the door of the Church of St John in Hot, Pater Zefi was arrested and shot on February 4, 1945, at the age of 35.

After communism was overcome, people timidly began to publicly live the faith they had secretly taught their children again. A seminary was founded in Catholic Shkoder, and some priests came from abroad. To give strength to these beginnings, the Archbishop of Shkoder, Msgr. Angelo Massafra, initiated a beatification process for witnesses of the faith who are venerated as martyrs in Albania.

Sources:

https://www.erzbistum-koeln.de/thema/marxen/38-maertyrer/index.html -https://albemigrant2011.wordpress.com/2014/08/25/37612/ - http://www.malesia.org/tag/leonard-tagaj-pater-zefi-i-traboinit/ - https://www.kath.ch/newsd/papst-ehrt-in-albanien-maertyrer-und-predigt-dialog-der-religionen/

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BL. LUKE KIRBY, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 30 MAY

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY Saints celebrated on the 30th of May WELCOME! BLESSED LUKE KIRBY, PRIEST AND MARTYR 16th century houses, painted by Auguste Mayer He was born in the bishopric of Durham, according to Raissius ; others say at Richmond, in Yorkshire. He was master of arts in one of our universities; but going abroad to Douay, in Flanders, was received into the English college there, 1576, and made priest in 1577; and the year following sent upon the mission. Where he had not been long before he again went abroad, and travelled to Rome, partly for devotion, and partly for further improvement in learning. Here he remained in the English college till 1580, when he returned into England, and was not long after apprehended: for I find by a printed diary of things transacted in the Tower of London from 1580 till 1585, that on the 5th of December, 1580, Luke Kirby, Thomas Cottam , and other priests, were brought to the Tower from other prisons; and that these two, on the 10th...

BL. RICHARD NEWPORT, PRIEST AND MARTYR - 30 MAY

ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN MAY Saints celebrated on the 30th of May WELCOME! BLESSED RICHARD NEWPORT, PRIEST AND MARTYR Richard Newport, alias Smith , was born in Northamptonshire and performed his studies abroad, partly in the college of Rheims (if he be the Richard Smith whom I find in the Douay diary sent to Rome in 1586) and partly in that of Rome, where he was made priest. From thence he was sent upon the English mission, and behaved himself in such a manner as justly to acquire the character of a laborious missionary; being withal remarkably successful in bringing home many strayed sheep to the fold of Christ, to which his apostolical way of living did not a little contribute. He was several times apprehended and cast into prison, and twice banished. His name occurs amongst those who were transported in 1606; at which time, we are told, he took that opportunity of making a pilgrimage to Rome, there to pour forth his prayers at the tombs of the apostles, in behalf of thi...

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