Pjetër Meshkalla High School (''Shkolla e Mesme Pjetër Meshkalla'') is a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

secondary school located in Shkodra,

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

. Founded in 1877 by

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s from

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

, the school is named for the Jesuit Peter Meshkalla, martyr of the Communist era. ''Shkodër Jesuit College'' was a Jesuit college in

Shkodër Shkodër ( , ; sq-definite, Shkodra) is the fifth-most-populous city of the Republic of Albania and the seat of Shkodër County and Shkodër Municipality. The city sprawls across the Plain of Mbishkodra between the southern part of Lake Shkod ...

, in northwestern Albania. The college has traditionally been an important centre of scholarly study into Albanian literature and language.

History

The beginning of the Jesuit presence in Albania was in 1841 with some Jesuits from Sicily, while Albania was still under the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

and lacked the boundaries it has today. Evangelism remained problematic but in 1854 the Office of the Vatican Missionary Bishops and Albanians opened a seminary in Shkodra for the southern

Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...

, entrusted to the Italian Jesuits. The college was started in 1877, as a Xavier college ( sq, Kolegji Saverian). Jesuitenkolleg in Shkodra

In 1877 the Jesuits opened

Saverian College, first as a trade school and then as a classic

liceum The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies among countries; usually it is a type of secondary school. Generally in that type of school the ...

after the 1912 declaration of Albania's independence from the Ottoman Empire. This was accompanied by itinerant missionary work, alongside cultural, religious, artistic, musical, and theatrical groups, and publication of the magazine ''Immaculate Conception''. In 1944 the

communists Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a so ...

came to power. Repression and persecution of Catholics followed. Among the 40 deemed martyrs in Albania during this period were Fr. Daniel Dajan, Rector of the College and Saverian Seminary. and Brother John Pantalia who ran the publishing house. The distinguished poet

Ndre Mjeda Ndre Mjeda (20 November 18661 August 1937) was an Albanian philologist, poet, priest, rilindas, translator and writer of the Albanian Renaissance. He was a member of the Mjeda family. He was influenced by the Jesuit writer Anton Xanoni and t ...

taught at the Jesuit college from 1930.Shkoder.net
Only in 1990 did a new regime lead to the return of the Jesuits. In February 1992 they opened in the Shkodra Archbishopric a minor seminary. In 1994 they regained the property of the former Saverian College. A technical school and high school, recognized by the State, emerged. A seminary for all Albania, including philosophy and theology, opened in 1998 with help from

Renovabis Renovabis is a charitable organization of the Roman Catholic Church in Germany, established in 1993 to help people in Eastern and Central Europe. Its main office is located in Freising, Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republi ...

and the Italian Jesuits. Middle School "Pjetër Meshkalla" replaced the earlier Xaverian College, and has since 1998 grown into a secondary school accommodating 500 students (60% girls) in 18 classes. Their religious background is Christian (75% – mostly Catholics, some Orthodox) and

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

(25%). About 25% are village children. In 2000 the seminary split off from the middle school. On 29 June 2000 the first priests trained locally were ordained since the communist period. The School of Higher Studies of Philosophy and Theology is a promoter of the Albanian language and of dialogue with the Orthodox Church and with

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

. College emblem: the two-headed eagle face, above: For God, For atme, and Progress.

Notable alumni

Luigj Bumçi Luigj Bumçi (7 November 1872 – 1 March 1945) was an Albanian Catholic religious and political figure. Life Dom Luigj Bumçi was born in Shkodër, back then in the Scutari Vilayet of the Ottoman Empire, on 7 November 1872 in an Albanian C ...

, head of the Albanian delegation at the Paris Peace Conference, regent of Albania *

Ernest Koliqi Ernest Koliqi (20 May 190315 January 1975) was an Albanian journalist, politician, translator, teacher and writer. Biography Born in Shkodra, where he also attended his first lessons at the local Jesuit College. In 1918 his father send him ...

, writer and publicist *

Faik Konitza Faik Bey Konica (later named ''Faïk Dominik Konitza'', 15 March 1875 – 15 December 1942) was an important figure in Albanian language and culture in the early decades of the twentieth century. Prewar Albanian minister to Washington, his litera ...

, publicist and politician *

Zef Mala Zef Mala (Shkodër, April 14, 1915 – Tirana, December 31, 1979) was an Albanian publicist and early communist. He was the leader of the Communist Group of Shkodër. Life Mala was born in the "Skënderbeg" neighborhood of Shkodër, the son of R ...

, communist *

Hilë Mosi Hilë Mosi (1885-1933) was an Albanian politician and poet. Biography Hilë Mosi, son of Mark Mosi, was born in Shkodër, then part of the Ottoman Empire, in 1885. He attended an Italian elementary school and later the Xavierian Shkodër Je ...

, poet and politician *

Qemal Stafa Qemal Stafa (20 March 1920 – 5 May 1942) was a founding member of the Albanian Communist Party, and the leader of its youth section. Biography Stafa was born in Elbasan in 1920, in a family originating from the Zabzun village, at the time part ...

, communist

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shkoder Jesuit College Jesuit schools in Albania Educational institutions established in 1877 Secondary schools in Albania Buildings and structures in Shkodër 1877 establishments in the Ottoman Empire

History

Notable alumni

See also

References