Register of the FRANCISCANS
The rare 1720 manuscript is discovered
BY VITOR DEMAJ
While reading in the magazine “Hylli i Dritës”, founded by At Gjergj Fishta, and especially the history section under At Miri Sirdani, a close collaborator of this magazine, I noticed that At Marini, when speaking about the history of the Franciscans in Albania, relies, besides other documents, on a Register — as he calls it — of the Albanian Franciscan Province from 1720. At Zef Pllumi also spoke about this famous register, saying that “this Register had importance both for the history of the friars in Albania and for the history of our country.” The register in question, before communism entered Albania, was kept in the Franciscan archive in Shkodër, where after 1945, together with other materials, it was seized by the communist government and taken to Tiranë, where it was later placed in the Central State Archive. After several contacts with Mrs. Nevila Nika, the director of the Archive, a photocopy of this Register was obtained. It bears this title: “Registro della Provincia Oss.[ervante] Albania 1720 in tempo del P. M. R. Lorenzo M. di Santa Croce Ministro Provinciale, l’Anno 1720”. The author of this valuable register is P. Lorenzo Maria di Santa Croce, sent to take charge of the situation of the Province...
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