The former Spaci prison in Mirdita was turned into a place of pilgrimage and remembrance on Friday. After decades, His Eminence Cardinal Ernest Troshani returned to the place where he served 12 years in prison during the communist regime. The 98-year-old first visited the premises where he was held prisoner and stopped near the photographs of his former fellow prisoners.
Afterwards, the Cardinal celebrated Holy Mass in the courtyard of the former prison, in the presence of former political prisoners, numerous believers, representatives of religious communities, and politics.
"You are the children of the great God, love each other, your homeland, and defend the truth. I thank God for bringing us together, the people who welcomed me with admiration," said Cardinal Ernest Troshani.
Spaçi remains a symbol of the crimes of the communist dictatorship and of the resistance of those who refused to submit. The presence of Cardinal Ernest Simoni, one of the strongest witnesses of communist persecution, gives this mass a special moral and historical weight.
"It is a special emotion to attend mass with Cardinal Ernest Simoni. These buildings have experienced blood, horror, and in fact, for the communists, they want them to cease to exist," said Albert Melyshi.
"My appeal is to the Albanian government. This site should not be destroyed. If it is destroyed, the younger generations will say nothing happened. This would be the greatest disaster, because what is forgotten is repeated," said Dom Gjergj Meta.
In recognition of his dedicated life and testimony of faith in the face of persecution, the 98-year-old Cardinal was presented with a certificate of appreciation and a symbolic gift with the emblem of Spaç. The day also included a message from the Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, which was read during the ceremony. In his message, the Pope described Spaç as one of the most painful wounds in Albanian history, but also a place where faith and hope triumphed over injustice.
The celebration at the former Spaç prison ended with prayers for the victims of the dictatorship and an appeal that the history of this country should never be forgotten.
