Diocese of Lezhë, Albania

Continent: East Europe

Rite: Roman (Latin)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Lezhë / Lesh / Alessio (Italiano) / Alexien(sis) (Latin)

Ecclesiastical Province: Shkodrë–Pult

Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops

Celebrations

Liturgical Calendar (Universal) 📅

History

1400: Established as Diocese of Lezhë / Lesh / Alessio (Italiano) / Alexien(sis) (Latin) (became suffragan of Bar)
1550: Gained territory from the suppressed Diocese of Croia
1886.10.23: Became suffragan of Shkodrë
1888.12.25: Lost territory to establish Territorial Abbacy of Shën Llezhri i Oroshit
1894.05.31: Lost territory to Territorial Abbacy of Shën Llezhri i Oroshit

Contact Info

Address: Kuria Ipeshkvnore, Rruga Varosh, Ish Dega Ushtarake, Lezhë, Albania

Present Prelates

Bishop (2005.11.23 – ...):

Bishop Ottavio Vitale, R.C.J. (65)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Lezhë (Roman Rite)

Bishop Ottavio Vitale, R.C.J. (65)
(2005.11.23 – ...)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania)

Rogate Dominum messis

Born:	1959.02.05 (Grottaglie, Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1992.06.27
Consecrated Bishop:	2006.01.06

Apostolic Administrator of Lezhë (Albania) (2000.02.05 – 2005.11.23)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (2005.11.23 – ...)

Fr. Ottavio Vitale, R.C.J. (65) (later Bishop)
(Apostolic Administrator 2000.02.05 – 2005.11.23)

Blessed Bishop Frano Gjini
(1946.01.04 – 1948.03.11)

Born:	1886.02.20 (Shkodra, Albania)
Ordained Priest:	1908.06.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1930.10.28
Died:	1948.03.11 🩸 (Lezhe, Albania † 62)
Beatified:	2016.11.05 (Shkodër, Shkodër, Albania)

Abbot Ordinary of Shën Llezhri i Oroshit (Albania) (1930.06.29 – 1946.01.04)

Titular Bishop of Semta (1930.07.03 – 1946.01.04)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1946.01.04 – 1948.03.11)

Bishop. Martyr.

Bishop Luigi Bumci
(1911.09.18 – 1943.09.01)

Born:	1872.11.07 (Turkiye)
Ordained Priest:	1903.05.03
Consecrated Bishop:	1911.12.10
Died:	1945.03.01 († 72)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1911.09.18 – 1943.09.01)

Titular Bishop of Cantanus (1943.09.01 – 1945.03.01)

Bishop Leonard Stefan Deda, O.F.M.
(1908.04.21 – 1910.10.08)

Born:	1863.03.15
Ordained Priest:	1885.04.09
Consecrated Bishop:	1905.04.30
Died:	1910.10.08 († 47)

Titular Bishop of Thagura (1905.01.09 – 1908.04.21)

Coadjutor Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1905.01.09 – 1908.04.21)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1908.04.21 – 1910.10.08)

Bishop Francesco Malczynski
(1870.05.24 – 1908.04.21)

Born:	1829.12.27
Died:	1908.04.21 († 78)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1870.05.24 – 1908.04.21)

Bishop Paolo Dodmassei
(1858.05.02 – 1868.09.27)

Died:

1868.09.27

Bishop of Pult (Albania) (1847.07.30 – 1858.05.02)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1858.05.02 – 1868.09.27)

Bishop Luigi Ciurcia, O.F.M. (later Archbishop)
(1853.09.27 – 1858.06.04)

Born:	1818.12.08 (Italy)
Ordained Priest:	1841.12.20
Consecrated Bishop:	1854.03.19
Died:	1881.07.13 († 62)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1853.09.27 – 1858.06.04)

Titular Bishop of Delcus (1858.06.04 – 1859.02.06)

Coadjutor Bishop of Shkodrë (Albania) (1858.06.04 – 1859.02.06)

Bishop of Shkodrë (Albania) (1859.02.06 – 1866.07.27)

Vicar Apostolic of Egypt (Egypt) (1866.07.27 – 1881.05.01)

Titular Archbishop of Irenopolis (1866.07.27 – 1881.07.13)

Apostolic Delegate to Egypt and Arabia (1866.07.27 – 1881.07.13)

Bishop Giovanni Topić, O.F.M. Obs. (later Archbishop)
(1842.01.12 – 1853.09.27)

Consecrated Bishop:	1842.02.20
Died:	1868.06.11

Apostolic Administrator of Shkodrë (Albania) (1842.01.12 – 1845)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1842.01.12 – 1853.09.27)

Bishop of Shkodrë (Albania) (1853.09.27 – 1859.01.17)

Titular Archbishop of Philippopolis (1859.07.10 – 1868.06.11)

Bishop Gabriele Barissich Bosniese, O.F.M.
(1826.09.19 – 1841.01.03)

Died:

1841.01.03

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1826.09.19 – 1841.01.03)

Bishop Nicola Malci
(1797.07.24 – 1825.10.12)

Died:

1825.10.12

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1797.07.24 – 1825.10.12)

Bishop Michele Criesesi
(1786.07.24 – 1797.02.02)

Died:

1797.02.02

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1786.07.24 – 1797.02.02)

Bishop Giorgio Giunchi (later Archbishop)
(1765.12.09 – 1786.07.24)

Died:

1787.01.26

Bishop of Pult (Albania) (1757.01.03 – 1765.12.09)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1765.12.09 – 1786.07.24)

Metropolitan Archbishop of Bar (Montenegro) (1786.07.24 – 1787.01.26)

Bishop of Budua (1786.09.01 – 1787.01.26)

Bishop Antonio de Alessio, O.F.M. Obs.
(1750.11.16 – 1765.08.15)

Died:

1765.08.15

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1750.11.16 – 1765.08.15)

Bishop Paolo Campsi
(1748.09.16 – 1750)

Died:

1771.04.19

Bishop of Shkodrë (Albania) (1742.05.25 – 1771.04.19)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1748.09.16 – 1750)

Bishop Simone Negri
(1739.02.23 – 1748)

Died:

1748

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1739.02.23 – 1748)

Bishop Giovanni Galata (later Archbishop)
(1728.11.15 – 1739.01.26)

Died:

1752

Bishop of Sapë (Albania) (1720.09.30 – 1728.11.15)

Apostolic Administrator of Pult (Albania) (1720.12.23 – 1728.11.15)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1728.11.15 – 1739.01.26)

Archbishop of Durrës (Albania) (1739.01.26 – 1752)

Bishop Nicola Vladagni
(1692.10.15 – 1705?)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1692.10.15 – 1705?)

Apostolic Administrator of Durrës (Albania) (1698.06.27 – 1700.03.30)

Bishop Giorgio Vladagni
(1656.03.06 – 1689.12)

Died:

1689.12

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1656.03.06 – 1689.12)

Bishop Benedetto Orsini, O.F.M.
(1621.06.21 – 1654?)

Died:

1654?

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1621.06.21 – 1654?)

Bishop Innocenzo Stoicino, O.S.B.
(1596.08.12 – 1620.10.25)

Died:

1620.10.25

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1596.08.12 – 1620.10.25)

Bishop Marino Braiano, O.F.M.
(1578.10.15 – ?)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1578.10.15 – ?)

Bishop Teodoro Calumpsi
(1575.10.26 – 1578?)

Died:

1578?

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1575.10.26 – 1578?)

Bishop Giovanni Crassinga
(1560.06.29 – 1575)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1560.06.29 – 1575)

Bishop Antonio de Nigris
(1559? – ?)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1529.05.24 – 1535.11.08)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1559? – ?)

Bishop Nicola Gerino, O. Cist.
(1558.03.23 – ?)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1558.03.23 – ?)

Bishop Guglielmo de Furby, O. Carm.
(1535.11.08 – 1556?)

Died:

1556?

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1535.11.08 – 1556?)

Bishop Antonio de Nigris
(1529.05.24 – 1535.11.08)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1529.05.24 – 1535.11.08)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1559? – ?)

Bishop Gionj Stymaj
(1525.11.19 – ?)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1525.11.19 – ?)

Bishop Nicola Naule
(? – 1525?)

Died:

1525?

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (? – 1525?)

Bishop Fernando de Rosas, O. de M.
(1519.11.19 – ?)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1519.11.19 – ?)

Bishop Bernardino Gionema, O.F.M.
(1518.05.17 – ?)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1518.05.17 – ?)

Bishop Pedro Gil, S.M.O.M.
(1518? – 1518)

Died:

1518

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1518? – 1518)

Bishop Nicola Modulo
(1517.06.17 – ?)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1517.06.17 – ?)

Bishop Nicola Dabri
(1513.12.26 – ?)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1513.12.26 – ?)

Bishop Michele di Natera, O.P.
(1513.05.09 – 1513)

Died:

1513

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1513.05.09 – 1513)

Bishop Giorgio Negri
(1509.02.23 – 1512?)

Died:

1512?

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1509.02.23 – 1512?)

Bishop Francesco Conti, O.P.
(1504.07.15 – ?)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1504.07.15 – ?)

Bishop Pietro
(1485.09.12 – ?)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1485.09.12 – ?)

Bishop Pietro Malcasi
(1478.07.27 – ?)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1478.07.27 – ?)

Bishop Vito Jonyma
(1474.01.28 – ?)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1474.01.28 – ?)

Bishop Pietro Domgion
(1459.09.05 – ?)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1459.09.05 – ?)

Bishop Pietro Sarda, O.F.M.
(1427.11.27 – 1438?)

Died:

1438?

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1427.11.27 – 1438?)

Bishop Andrea Sume
(1405.10.05 – 1426.05.10)

Bishop of Lezhë (Albania) (1405.10.05 – 1426.05.10)

Bishop of Arbano (1426.05.10 – ?)

Former Prelates

Coadjutor Bishop: Bishop Leonard Stefan Deda, O.F.M. (1905.01.09 – 1908.04.21)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Katedralja e Shën Nikollës, Lezhë, Lezhë, Lezhë
Former Cathedral (now secular): Kisha e Shën Kollit, Lezhë, Lezhë, Lezhë

Sapë (↑), Rrëshen (→), Tiranë–Durrës (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Area: 300 km²

Population: 88,830 Catholics (63.8% of 139,200 total)

Pastoral Centres: 12 parishes

Personnel: 21 priests (15 diocesan, 6 religious), 48 religious (6 brothers, 42 sisters), 13 seminarians