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The 70th anniversary of the priestly ordination of Cardinal Ernest Simon/Begaj: A living model of values

2026-05-04 12:45:00, Aktualitet CNA

The 70th anniversary of the priestly ordination of Cardinal Ernest Simon/Begaj:

The President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj, was present at the 70th anniversary of the priestly ordination of Cardinal Ernest Simon, held at the "Santa Maria del Fiore" cathedral in Italy.

In his speech, Begaj said that this moment invites us to reflect on a lifetime of service.

Addressing Cardinal Ernest Simon, Begaj told him that his story is the story of all those who suffered under communist persecution, perhaps the harshest religious persecution.

The President stated that religious harmony was made possible by several names, one of which was Cardinal Ernest Simoni.

 

 

Begaj's speech

 

It is a special honor and an emotion indescribable in words to be here today, in the heart of Florence, in the cathedral of "Santa Maria del Fiore", to honor a distinguished son of the Albanian nation, an apostle of resistance and world symbol of freedom of conscience, the Living Martyr, Cardinal Ernest Simoni.

The 70th anniversary of Cardinal Ernest Simoni's priestly ordination is a moment that invites us to reflect on a lifetime of service, on a long journey traveled with dedication and faith, on a history that proved that light is not defeated by darkness, and on the values ??that give meaning to our society.

Albania has gone through one of its darkest periods under dictatorship. A dictatorship that declared war on God, human freedom and dignity, and freedom of religion itself, with the Church and the Catholic community among the hardest hit.

Your story, Eminence Cardinal Simoni, is not just the story of one man. It is the story of all those who suffered under communist persecution, perhaps the most severe religious persecution the modern world has known. It is the story of the 38 blessed martyrs, of bishops and priests shot, of our compatriots drowned, buried alive, tortured to death simply because they believed in God.

Your story is living proof that no regime could eradicate faith and human dignity.

Your story, Cardinal Ernest Simoni, teaches us that faith is not measured in times of peace, but in times of trial, and that a person's dignity does not depend on circumstances, but on the attitude he or she takes in the face of them.

Today, Albania is a different country. A free country that respects faith and human dignity, where interfaith coexistence and harmony is one of the most precious and beautiful values ??we have.

This interfaith harmony is a daily responsibility and a treasure that we must preserve, cultivate, and proudly pass on to future generations.

But this freedom did not come by itself. It has names, it has history, it has sacrifices. And one of these names is undoubtedly Cardinal Ernest Simoni.

In 2014, in Albania, Pope Francis heard the testimony of Cardinal Ernest Simon, which touched not only the Holy Father, but the entire world. The Holy Father's tears were a tribute to a life spent in suffering. Without hatred. Without revenge. With humility.

The decision to elevate him to the dignity of cardinal was a profound act of gratitude and appreciation not only for a man, but for a story. For a story that is a living testimony of endurance, hope, faith, and human dignity.

In moments like this, where history, faith and man meet, we remember that greatness does not lie in power or fame, but in humility. Albanian custom teaches us that a man becomes great not when he takes, but when he gives; not when he rules, but when he serves; not when he speaks a lot, but when he acts rightly, not when he gives in, but when he has the strength to stand for what is right, not when he shows hypocrisy, but when he shows integrity.

Cardinal Ernest Simoni is a living model of these values.

 On the 70th anniversary of your priestly ordination, Albania thanks you not with protocol words, but with all its heart!

We are lucky to have you among us!

Lucky that Albanians have a Cardinal like you.

 And above all, we are fortunate that through your life we ??have an inspiring role model, in the same inspiring tradition as the Albanian Mother Teresa, proving that greatness lies in service and love for others.

 A special thanks goes to the Holy See and the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, for the blessing and continued support they have given to Albania and Albanians.

I express my sincere gratitude to the organizers of this activity, for their dedication and care in preserving this precious memory and passing it on to society and the younger generations.

May this day be not only a tribute to the past, but also a commitment to the future, to preserve values, to protect and build a more humane, more just, more peaceful and freer society in thought, belief and action.

Today is a day of gratitude for a life lived in service, for a testimony that remains part of the universal conscience, and for an example that continues to speak not only today, but tomorrow.

I wish His Grace, Cardinal Ernest Simon, health, peace and a long life.

 

 





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