The prominent patriotic figure Pope Kristo Negovani, teacher, writer and patriotic cleric, martyr of the Albanian school, Teacher of the People, passed away. He was born in Negovan of Kolonja (on the eastern side of Gramoz, today in Greece). He received his primary education in his hometown in Greek, while his secondary education in Athens. He served as a priest and teacher. In 1894, he emigrated to the Albanian colony of Braila (Romania), where, in addition to working as a carpenter, he became active in the Albanian societies “Drita”, “Dituria” and ” Djalëria shqiptare ” of Braila. In 1897 he returned to his homeland to dedicate himself entirely to the cultivation of the Albanian language, freedom, independence and the progress of Albania. With the Albanian books, brought on this occasion to his house in Negovan, he secretly opened the first Albanian school for his fellow villagers. With his help, the first girls from Negovani were sent to the Albanian School for Girls in Korça. Pope Kristo Negovani published several literary creations for school age, such as: “Vjershëshkresëtoreja” (“The Versewriter”) (Sofje, 1899), “I drunjti kryq” (“The wooden cross”), the long lyrical poem “Prishja e Hormovës nga Ali Pashë Tepelena” (“The Destruction of Hormova by Ali Pasha Tepelena”) (Sofje, 1903, republished in Tirana , 1960) etc. He also adapted some fables from La Fontaine. Pope Kristo Negovani fought against the religious division of the Albanian people and for the creation of the Albanian Autocephalous Church. In the church of his village he preached in the Albanian language. (In the photo: Papa Kristo Negovani)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 3 , Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2009, page 1380.
Photo: © https://sq.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristo_Negovani
Graphic processing: AHCF
