Albania: past wounds are lesson for the future

(Vatican Radio) As Pope Francis prepares to travel to Albania on Sunday, we shine the spotlight on this small Mediterranean nation with a painful past of occupation (starting with the Ottoman incursions in the 14th century) and communist repression.

Currently Albania, which is an official candidate for membership in the European Union, boasts a 23-year-old democracy and the peaceful coexistence of numerous ethnic and religious denominations.

And that’s is exactly the reason Pope Francis gave when asked – on his journey back from Korea in August – why he has chosen Albania as the destination for his very first Apostolic journey to a European country:

“I am going to Albania” – Pope Francis said – “for two important reasons. First, because they have been able to form a government—just think of the Balkans, they have been able to form a government of national unity with Muslims, Orthodox and Catholics, with an interreligious council that helps a lot and is balanced. This is good, and harmonious. The presence of the pope wishes to say to all the peoples [of the world] that it’s possible to work together. I felt it as a real help to that noble people”.

These words of Pope Francis provided Vatican Radio’s Linda Bordoni with the starting point for a conversation with the Albanian Programme’s Father Marjan Paloka, who shines the light on the hopes and on the wounds of the nation…

Listen to the interview: 

Father Marjan explains that the Albanian government is made-up of Ministers who belong to all the different religious denominations present in the country as well as the so-called agnostics, but – he points out – “obviously they are not elected because of their religious belongings. The nation has the Constitution of a secular state”.

However he points out “this shows that religion is not a divisive factor in Albania and the Pope focuses on the fact that persons of different faiths can work together and be together”.

Father Marjan says that according to a census three years ago the Albanian population consists of 56% Muslims, 15 % Catholics, 6 % Orthodox and the rest are agnostic.

The situation in fact is no so clear-cut he says - because “we have two generations which were born and raised under dictatorship when and where religion was forbidden. And it is hard to start to cultivate a religious feeling after 40 years of religious repression and oppression”.

Father Marjan says “We can say we have a naturally religious nation of people but we don’t have a strong religious community in the country”.

He speaks of a deep thirst for spirituality in his country, but right now– he points out - most of the people will be looking to the Pope as a strong moral authority, as someone who gives attention to the poor and the marginalized…