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The history of Albania
Did you know that ancient Albania is mentioned in the Bible?
Antiquity and Christianity
Albania is an ancient place and people group. Settlements date back to 3000 B.C.
Albania was on the “Via Egnatia” – the road to Rome making it a very important region in the Roman Empire, connecting East to West. The apostle Paul came through Illyricum proclaiming the gospel – the ancient name for Albania.
“So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.”
(Romans 15:19)
The gospel spread rapidly, turning Albania into a Christian nation. Due to its location, Christianity was influenced by both Roman Catholicism and Greek Orthodoxy.
Map of Illyricum, ancient Albania
Durres amphitheater, built in the 2nd century AD.
Photo of Berat castle, dating back in 13th century.
Ottoman Invasion
Uprising against the Ottoman Empire memorial wall dedicated to Gjergj Kastrioti Scanderbeg in Kruja Castle
In the 1400s, after years of battles, Albania was conquered by the Turkish Ottoman Empire. Today the national hero of Albania is Gjergj Kastriot Skenderbeg – an Albanian in the Turkish army who rebelled and fought the Turks.
Following his death, Albania was subdued and occupied by the Ottomans for nearly 500 years. As a result of heavy oppression and persecution, over the centuries more than 70% of the population had converted to Islam.
Tirana skyline and the biggest Mosque in the Balkans built by Turkish government.
Independence from Ottoman Empire and World Wars
The Ottoman occupation ended when Albania declared independence in 1912.
This followed the two World Wars, battles of which also took place on Albanian soil as the Albanian liberation army fought against the Fascist and Naxi invasions.
Albania was totally freed from the occupation on November 29, 1945.
Photo of Ismail Qemali and other patriots raising the Albanian flag in Vlora, declaring independence.
The Brutal Installment of Communism
Photo of Communist soldiers executing their political opponents.
After the Axis powers lost the war, laid the way for the Communist Party to come into power. The communist leader Enver Hoxha, installed the most brutal totalitarian regime ever known in history.
He began a war against all kinds of religions to the point of banning them entirely by declaring Albania the world’s first atheist nation in 1967. This followed a set of severe persecution against the clerics and the destruction of religious buildings such as churches and mosques. This was the darkest period of Albanian history.
Photo of Albanian communist leader, Enver Hoxha (center), reviewing the troops at a military parade marking the liberation of Tirana. (1944 December 29)
A former top-secret nuclear bunker has been reopened as a museum in Albania’s capital to show visitors how Communist-era police persecuted the regime’s opponents.
The New Era of Democracy and Freedom
With the rest of Eastern Europe, Albania was freed from Communism in the early 1990s. This finally opened the doors for the gospel work as missionaries came in to proclaim the "good news".
The Jesus film and other evangelistic campaigns made it possible to take the gospel even into the most remote towns and villages in Albania giving birth to local church expressions throughout the country.
Today, the evangelical church is fairly new making up nearly 1% of the total population.
Albania is a NATO member country and an EU candidate member country aligning with Western Nations. However, coming from a totalitarian regime, it is constantly struggling as a fledgling democracy.
A photo of a civil uprising against the communist regime & overthrowing the statue of the dictator, Enver Hoxha.
President G. W. Bush was the first U.S President in office to pay a visit to Albania.
Albanian flag standing together alongside NATO flag after joining the alliance on April 1st, 2009.
Your prayers make a powerful impact in building and impacting God's Kingdom among Albanians.
Your prayers make a powerful impact in building and impacting God's Kingdom among Albanians.
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