Feb 10, 2017

β›ͺ Blessed Mikel Beltoja - Priest and martyr

β›ͺ Saint of the Day : February 10

β›ͺ Born :
9 May 1935 in Beltoj, ShkodrΓ«, Albania

β›ͺ Died :
shot by firing squad on 10 February 1974 in ShkodrΓ«, Albania

β›ͺ Beatified :
β€’ 5 November 2016 by Pope Francis
β€’ Beatification celebrated at the Square of the Cathedral of ShΓ«n Shtjefnit, ShkodΓ«r, Albania, presided by Cardinal Angelo Amato

Mikel Beltoja was born in Beltoje, a suburb two kilometers south of Scutari, on May 9, 1935. As a child he lived the progressive and systematic atheization of Albanian society, but he remained faithful to what he received with baptism. 

Like many young people under communism, especially in the second and third stages of persecution, he studied for the priesthood clandestinely and was ordained in Scutari on 8 December 1961 by Monsignor Ernest Γ‡oba, who had personally oversaw his formation. He then ministered in the cathedral of Scutari and later in Keshmellash.

While the cult was openly forbidden - in 1967 churches were closed by state decree - he did so in a hidden manner, risking his life to celebrate the sacraments. On April 19, 1973, he was arrested in front of the church of Beltoja, shortly before starting Mass, but he succeeded in destroying the parish archives just in time. He was handcuffed, beaten and spat in the face, just as happened to Jesus on the way of the Cross.

The words of his homilies were presented by his accusers as dangerous, indeed, as true accusations: "The love of God is eternal, the judgment of men is temporary. Believers, you are the tender sheep of God and the Father loves you so much, he sent his Son to die for you so that you may live with the flock, loving one another. You must still give virtue to children with daily bread. Thus the homeland will be more solid thanks to the virtues of its children. Devotion to God is a devotion to the nation ".

In all he was sentenced to twenty-five years in prison: ten for agitation and propaganda, five for voluntary protest (ie for burning the archives) and ten for repeated lies against his fellow citizens. Don Mikel responded in this way to the sentence: "I am a knight of Christ and I will remain for the rest of my life". At those words, he was immediately condemned to death: on the night of 10 April 1974 he was shot. 

His name concludes the list of 38 Albanian martyrs under communism, beatified in Scutari on 5 November 2016.

Source : santiebeati

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