Dedë Maçaj

Blessed Dedë Maçaj Dedë Maçaj was born in the village of Mat i Jushi (Shkodër), Albania, on 5 February 1920. Student of the Kolegji Xavier of Shkodër, governed by the Jesuit fathers, he completed his training at the Pontifical Urban University in Rome. He was ordained a priest in Rome, on 19 March 1944. The following year he returned home, right at the start of the religious persecution carried out by the communist regime. Initially assistant vicar of the Katedralja e Shkodrës, he became the successor of Don Ndre Zadeja, parish priest of Sheldija, shot and martyred on 25 March 1945. A very short time later, he was called to the military service, responsible for the driver of a medical vehicle. However, his time in Rome and his role as a priest made him suspicious in the eyes of the regime's officials. During his military service, though disciplined, because of his Catholic religion he was always despised and mistreated, as his companions testified. The opportunity to arrest him came when he had an accident with his vehicle and returned late to the barracks: he was immediately accused of sabotage. Arrested as a Vatican spy, on 10 March 1947, he was tortured for fifteen days and was left almost unrecognizable to his fellow soldiers. Faced with all the troops and his own presence, the regime's political commissioner announced: "We have defeated enemies who are stronger than you and your brethren, and our army still has blows for traitors like you." At that point, while soldiers were present in the troops loyal to the Communist party, he asked, "What does this dangerous spy from the Vatican deserve?" The answer was: "A blow in the head!". He remembered terribly the question of Pilate in front of the crowd that condemned Jesus to the crucifixion. Thus, without even a sham trial, stripped of the military uniform, Don Dedë was put in chains and led before the wall of executions, with eight soldiers ready to shoot. He fell to his knees and, in a low voice, began to pray. The political commissioner approached him to scold him, but he replied in a firm voice: "Leave me alone" and resumed his prayer. Suddenly, turning to the platoon, he pronounced his last words in a tone of voice in apparent contrast to his slender figure: "Before God, in whose presence I am about to go and in front of you, dear soldiers, I declare that I am murdered because of hatred against the Catholic Church. And I say it without bitterness or hatred for those who are shooting me. "Finally, with his eyes to heaven and with a broad gesture in front of the persecutors, he cried out: "Long live Christ the King! Long live the Pope! Long live Albania!" The first volley of bullets seemed not to hurt him, with amazement from the soldiers. He moved about a meter, always continuing to pray. "He's innocent, save him!", Pleaded some of the platoon, but the Communist party activists shouted louder: "A bullet in the head! A bullet in the head! " Only then did the priest collapse to the ground without life. Dedë Maçaj was 27 years old. He was shot and martyred on 28 March 1947 in Përmet. Included in the list of 38 Albanian martyrs headed by Monsignor Vinçenc Prennushi, Rev Dedë Maçaj was beatified at the Square of the Cathedral of Shën Shtjefnit, Shkodër, on 5 November 2016. The same group also includes Rev Ndre Zadeja and eighteen diocesan priests.