The Monks of Grottaferrata in Albania This study establishes “the hard facts” from rare primary-source archival documents. It makes use of numerous archival primary sources including the Archive of the Vatican Congregation for Oriental Churches in Rome; the Archive of Venetian Province of the Society of Jesus in Gallarate Varese, Milan; the Archive of the Jesuit Curia in Rome; the Central State Archive of Albania in Tiranë, Albania; the libraries and archives of the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome; University of Calabria in Italy; and a number of private archives located in the Diocese of Lungro, Calabria. The study analyzes, processes, and interprets the evidence in its context. It follows a chronological line as this unfolds in documents. Furthermore, this study investigates the human side of the Basilian mission, trying to catch the overtones and the human dimension of this amazing story. What did the Basilian Monks contribute to the land of Albania and especially to Christian unity [in their own terms], and how did they contribute to the relations between two Christian traditions in the country, Catholic and Orthodox? What was the significance of their missions to unite the Orthodox and Muslims [Bektashi and Sunni] faithful of Albania with the Catholic Church? There is a sharp difference between the two periods of pro-Rome movement in Albania which corresponded to the Basilians’ first contacts with the Orthodox of Himarrë during the 17th and 18th centuries, and the 19th and 20th centuries’ inclinations for unity which resulted in the building the first Byzantine Catholic Church of Elbasan and the Basilians’ second return to the country. The study sheds innovative light on the current complexities of the Orthodox-Catholic relations especially, in a post-communist milieu. Returning Home to Rome - The Basilian Monks of Grottaferrata in Albania is helpful to the ecclesiastical historian and theologian alike. The scholar of early Christianity and especially Eastern monasticism, in its Calabrian, southern Italian expressions, will be able to explore a part of Byzantine monasticism and its trajectory from Mezzogiorno Calabrese to Grottaferrata which is today the only remnant of the Italian-Greek monasticism. Moreover, the study is helpful to scholars of East European, Balkan and Albanian studies, as Albania still remains somewhat mysterious or exotic to the average Western, and still a scholarly unexplored country in the Balkans, legite et discite.
ANAΛEKTA KPYΠTOΦEPPHΣ (Collana "ANALEKTA KRYPTOFERRIS") - a highly specialized and scholarly series dedicated to the history of the Byzantine and Italian-Greek monasticism. It includes monographs, Festschrifts and conference proceedings.
Monastero Esarchico di Santa Maria di Grottaferrata - Monaci Basiliani
Corso del Popolo, 128 - 00046 Grottaferrata (RM) - Tel. +39.06.945.93.09 - Fax +39.06.945.67.34 |
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Returning Home to Rome |
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