TIRANA, Dec. 23 – President Bujar Nishani has donated a copy of the first-known book in Albanian to the National Library which marked its 95th anniversary of establishment this week.
The copy of the original 16th century book preserved in the Vatican Library was handed to the Albanian President by Pope Francis during his historic visit of Sept. 21, 2014 to Albania, which he selected as the first destination in his Europe tour because of the country’s religious harmony.
“Together with the Library director we decided that the most suitable place to preserve and study the book is the National Library which is honored by the presence of the Missal brought by Pope Francis,” said President Nishani.
“This is not a present by the President, but a present by Pope Francis to Albania and Albanians. I believe that with this book, the Missal, we find spiritual peace and take national pride,” he added.
The Missal (Meshari), whose original version is preserved at the Vatican Library, was displayed in Albania for the first time in November 2012 as part as part of celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of Albania’s independence.
Known as Meshari (The Missal), the book was written by Gjon Buzuku, a northern Albanian Catholic cleric, who probably lived in or around Venice.
“Since the frontispiece and the first sixteen pages of the only copy of the book we possess, preserved in the Vatican Library, are missing, we unfortunately know neither its exact title nor its place of publication. In Albanian, it is known simply as the Meshari (The Missal), and was written in 1555. The scant information we do possess about the author comes from the colophon (postscript) of the missal which Buzuku wrote himself in Albanian, not unaware of the historic dimensions of his undertaking,” says Albanian studies specialist Robert Elsie.
