First Albanian book, Skanderbeg’s helmet and sword back home

TIRANA, Oct. 1 – The first book written and published in Albanian, a 188-page translation of the Catholic missal, of the mid 16th century will be in Albania next November when the country celebrates its 100th anniversary independence. Albania’s first book, currently stored in the Vatican archives, will arrive in Tirana on November 10 to be displayed at the National Library. Arben Skenderaj, the chairman of the working group, says Albania’s eldest book will remain on display until the end of November when Albania celebrates its 100th anniversary of 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.
Skanderbeg’s personal armament, his helmet and sword, currently on display at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, will also be brought home next November when Albania marks its 100th anniversary of independence. This is the first time Skanderbeg’s personal items will be back in Albania since the 15th century. A national hero, Skanderbeg who in the 15th century era successfully managed to keep the Ottoman army away from Albania for more than 20 years, is a symbol of unity also used by Renaissance writers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Yet, all that remains of Scanderbeg’s personal military armament are his helmet and sword which are now preserved in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria.