Stath Melani (18 September 1858–24 December 1917) was an Albanian

Orthodox Orthodox, Orthodoxy, or Orthodoxism may refer to: Religion * Orthodoxy, adherence to accepted norms, more specifically adherence to creeds, especially within Christianity and Judaism, but also less commonly in non-Abrahamic religions like Neo-pag ...

priest who participated in the

Congress of Manastir The Congress of Manastir ( sq, Kongresi i Manastirit) was an academic conference held in the city of Manastir (now Bitola) from November 14 to 22, 1908, with the goal of standardizing the Albanian alphabet. November 22 is now a commemorative da ...

and helped spread awareness of the

Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...

written language in southern Albania. He was killed by a group of Greek nationalists near

Përmet Përmet (; sq-definite, Permeti) is a city and municipality in Gjirokastër County, southern Albania. The municipality of Përmet consists of the administrative units of Çarçovë, Frashër, Petran, Qendër Piskovë and Përmet. The total popul ...

for insisting on the use of the Albanian language in the local Orthodox liturgy.

Life

Stath Melani was born on 18 September 1858 in Melan, in the district of

.Bezati, Kastriot
At Stath Melani, dëshmor i madh i Shqiperisë shpallet "Nderi i Kombit"
25 Dec 2015. Accessed 20 July 2017 Except for Stathi, his parents, Konstandin and Zoica had three girls named Marina, Eftalia and Anastasia.. His father who had emigrated to Istanbul, brought Stathi with him in 1876-1877, and Stathi taught at one of the schools and worked as a newspaper boy there, having attained the latter job with the help of Albanian patriots such as Josif Prifti from Ogdunan, a village of Përmet. Stathi met with many Albanian patriots and became active in the distribution of Albanian-language books, primarily coming from

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...

distributed by one Stefan Pellazgu.. The activity of Melani and other patriots worried the Ottoman authorities that managed to jail Pellazgu while Melani went to the US.. In 1888, he married Konstandina Logo from the village of Izgar near his home in Melan, and the two had nine children together, five boys and four girls.. Worried about the situation in Përmet he became a priest in the Church of Saint Mary in

Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( , ) is a city and county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, the city's population was 206,518 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the second-List of cities i ...

.. Between 1914-1917 Stathi served as priest for the St. Nicholas Church in

Southbridge, Massachusetts Southbridge is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,740 at the 2020 census. Although Southbridge has a city form of government, it is legally known as the Town of Southbridge. History The area was in ...

. His Albanian nationalist activism lasted 35 years and began first in Istanbul, to continue in the United States and in Albania. He contributed to the

Albanian Renaissance The Albanian National Awakening ( sq, Rilindja or ), commonly known as the Albanian Renaissance or Albanian Revival, is a period throughout the 19th and 20th century of a cultural, political and social movement in the Albanian history where the ...

with writings, books, newspapers and oral tales.

Mihal Grameno Mihal Grameno (13 January 1871 – 5 February 1931) was an Albanian nationalist, politician, writer, freedom fighter, and journalist. He was one of the four initial appointed delegates from Korçë to the Albanian National Congress that proc ...

said in 1907 described Melani as "a flaming patriot, wise and brave, and stubborn to fight for the rights of the Albanians during the time of Sultan Abdul Hamid II".

Fan Noli Theofan Stilian Noli, known as Fan Noli (6 January 1882 – 13 March 1965), was an Albanian writer, scholar, diplomat, politician, historian, orator, Archbishop, Metropolitan and founder of the Albanian Orthodox Church and the Albanian Orthodox ...

wrote of him with great respect. Melani was not only a priest but also an armed resistance fighter with his own çeta; allied çeta captains included Mihal Grameno,

Sali Butka Salih Butka (1852 – 24 October 1938), was an Albanian nationalist figure, kachak, poet, and one of the delegates of the city of Korçë to the Albanian National Congress of Lushnjë.Nikolaeva Todorova Marii︠a︡''Balkan identities: nation ...

, Cerciz Topulli and

Themistokli Gërmenji Themistokli Gërmenji (1871 – 1917) was an Albanian nationalist figure and guerrilla fighter. One of the activists of the Albanian National Awakening and the leader of the Albanian irregulars from 1909 to 1914, he became the prefect of poli ...

. Instigated by Greek Metropolitans, Stathi was killed in 1917 on 24 December, Christmas Eve, by Greek nationalists (''andartes''). near Përmet and his head was sent to Greece. The death of Stath Melani caused a wave of protests across southern Albanian-inhabited areas, and also among Albanians living abroad in the US and elsewhere.. Three years later, in 1920, Thanas Budo executed Josif Suropulli, the man who had killed Stathi Melani, just outside of

Postenan Postenan is a community in the Korçë County, southern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Kolonjë. Notable people * Athanas Sina, writer and activist of the Albanian National Awakening. *Jani Vreto, ...

Legacy

Stath Melani's exploits and actions are sung in ballads by Albanians. "The Reverend Father Stathi Melani served St. Nicholas Church in Southbridge from 1914-1917. In 1918, he journeyed to Albania to assist in the national awakening, and was martyred in that year for attempting to celebrate Divine services in the Albanian language.... For a similar act, Father Kristo Negovani, also from America, had suffered martyrdom (from Orthodox hands!), as did Father Stathi Melani, of whom ballads are still sung today." A road and a school in

are named after him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Melani, Stath 1858 births 1917 deaths People from Janina vilayet Eastern Orthodox Christians from Albania Activists of the Albanian National Awakening 19th-century Albanian clergy 20th-century Albanian clergy Albanian Eastern Orthodox priests Assassinated Albanian people