Blessed Daniel Dajani
Profile
Feeling an early call to the priesthood, Daniel entered the Pontifical Seminary in Scutari, Albania at age 12. He joined the Jesuits in Gorizia, Albania on 8 July 1926, and made his final profession on 2 February 1942. He studied philosophy in Chieri, Italy from 1931 to 1933, and then returned to Albania in 1935 to teach Latin in the seminary. Ordained a priest on 15 July 1938. In 1940 he resumed teaching at the Scutari seminary, worked parish missions and conducted religious education in mountain parishes. Rector of Saverjane College and the Pontifical Seminary in 1944. Arrested by Communist authorities on 31 December 1945, accused of being part of the leadership of the anti–Communist Albanian Union. Father Daniel had nothing to do with the group, but following a show trial, he was executed. Martyr.
Born
- 2 December 1906 in Blinisht, Zadrima, Lezhë, Albania
- shot by a machine-gun squad at 6am on 4 March 1946 at the cemetery in Shkodrë, Albania
- the body was left laying outside for a day to show the locals what would happen to those who opposed the Communists
- buried with other martyrs in a mass grave near the nearby river bed on the night of 5 March; rubbish bins were stacked on the grave to conceal it
- 5 November 2016 by Pope Francis
- beatification celebrated at the Square of the Cathedral of Shën Shtjefnit, Shkodër, Albania, presided by Cardinal Angelo Amato
MLA Citation
- “Blessed Daniel Dajani“. CatholicSaints.Info. 22 November 2019. Web. 28 May 2020. <>