114 years since the birth of Fan Noli, a fundamental figure in Albanian history and culture

2026-01-07 09:32:00, Aktualitet CNA

114 years since the birth of Fan Noli, a fundamental figure in Albanian history

Statesman, democratic patriot, high cleric, poet, translator, publicist, scholar, historian and musicologist. Fan Noli is one of the nation's most prominent figures, as January 6, 2026 marks 144 years since his birth.

Fan Noli was born in Ibrik Tepe in Edirne (Turkey), where he also completed high school. In 1904 he went to Egypt, where he worked as a teacher and during this time he met prominent patriots of the Albanian colony of Egypt. During this time he translated into Greek Sami Frashëri's work "Shqipëria ç`ka këne, ç'esht e ç'do të fëret".

In 1907, after his departure to America, he founded the “Besa-besë” society in Boston. On February 9, 1908, Fan Noli was ordained a deacon and in March 1908, the Orthodox archbishop of New York ordained him an Orthodox priest. A few days later, Noli held a liturgy in the Albanian language for the first time in Boston.

114 years since the birth of Fan Noli, a fundamental figure in Albanian history

In July 1919, Noli was elected Bishop of the Albanian Orthodox Church in America. Noli's efforts for an Albanian national church were fulfilled in 1937, when the Patriarchate of Istanbul officially recognized the Autocephalous Albanian Orthodox Church.

From 1909 to 1911 he published the newspaper "Dielli" and together with Faik Konica he founded the Pan-Albanian Federation "Vatra e Amerika" in 1912. In 1912 he completed his higher studies at the Faculty of Philosophy at Harvard University and years later, in 1938, he completed his higher studies at the Boston Conservatory of Music.

In 1920, Noli was elected head of the Albanian delegation to the League of Nations in Geneva, where through Albania's membership in this association, Albania received international recognition.

114 years since the birth of Fan Noli, a fundamental figure in Albanian history

In 1921 he published the important work “The History of Skanderbeg.” In June 1924, Fan Noli became a leading figure in the struggle for democratic transformations in Albanian society.

With the victory of the June Movement (1924), he was placed at the head of the democratic government as prime minister for a 6-month period.
In addition to his very important political, poetic and journalistic activity, during this decade Noli translated Shakespeare's tragedies, the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, the novel "Don Quixote" by Cervantes, etc.

Fan Noli died on March 13, 1965 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA.