Barbarically killed by Greek agent, Stath Melani, a patriotic cleric who fought for the liberation and defense of the country. He worked for the Albanian language and school system and for the adoption of the Orthodox Church. He was born in Melan, Shqeri (Përmet), in 1858. In 1876, he emigrated to Istanbul, where he worked and studied. There he joined Albanian patriotic circles and engaged in distributing Albanian primers and other books. For this activity, he was exiled and emigrated to the United States of America, where he became active in the national movement. In 1899, he was ordained a priest at the Church of St. Mary in Worcester. In the same year, he returned to Përmet. He conducted the first Mass in Albanian in the church of Përmet. For this, he was reprimanded by the Greek church authorities. His house became the base for armed groups fighting for the freedom of Albania. For his patriotic activities, he was imprisoned for several months in the Ioannina prison. Stath Melani participated in the General Uprising of 1912. Together with his son, he formed his patriotic band in 1912, where Muslim compatriots also enlisted. He supported the Provisional Government of Vlorë (1912). He fought with arms in hand (1913–1914) against the Greek army and guerrilla bands that occupied the southern regions of Albania and attempted to organize the so-called “Northern Epirus Uprising”, aiming to annex these Albanian lands to Greece. He also fought against the forces of Esat Pasha Toptani. He was arrested in Vlorë by Esatist insurgents. After his release, he emigrated again to America with his son. In early 1917, he returned to his homeland. His name is immortalized in the songs of the people. He was decorated with the “Order for Patriotic Activity” Class III and with the “Golden Medal of the Eagle”. (In the photo: Father Stath Melani)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 2 , Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2008, page 1685.
Photo: © https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stath_Melani
Graphic processing: AHCF
