Most Reverend Frang Bardhi | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Sapë | |
 Frang Bardhi on a 1993 Albanian stamp | |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| In office | 1635–1644 |
| Predecessor | Gjergj Bardhi |
| Successor | Gjergj Bardhi |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | 30 Mar 1636 by Ciriaco Rocci |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1606 |
| Died | 1643 (aged 36–37) |
Frang Bardhi (Latin:Franciscus Blancus,Italian:Francesco Bianchi, 1606–1643) was anAlbanianCatholic bishop andOld Albanian author.[1][2] Bardhi is best known as an author of the early eras ofAlbanian literature. He served asBishop of Sapë (1635–1644).[3]
Bardhi was born inKallmet orNënshat in the northern AlbanianZadrima region nearLezhë. He came from a family consisting of many figures high in the hierarchy of theCatholic Church and state officials or military commanders of theRepublic of Venice. His uncle was Bishop of Sapa and Sarda. He studiedtheology inItaly. On 17 December 1635, Francesco Bianchi was appointed during the papacy ofPope Urban VIII asBishop of Sapë.[3][4] On 30 March 1636, he wasconsecrated bishop byCiriaco Rocci,Cardinal-Priest ofSan Salvatore in Lauro, withGiovanni Battista Altieri,Bishop Emeritus of Camerino, andOttavio Broglia,Bishop of Asti, serving asco-consecrators.[4]
Bardhi is remembered as the author of the first Albanian dictionaryDictionarium latino-epiroticum (Latin-Albanian dictionary) published inRome in 1635, comprising 5,640 entries. Its appendix contains a list of 113 proverbs, phrases, and idioms, some of which are translations from other languages into Albanian with the vast majority being collected from theAlbanian folklore.[5]
Bardhi also wrote a biography ofGeorge Kastrioti Skanderbeg, calledThe Apology of Scanderbeg published inVenice in 1636.[6] The Apology of Scanderbeg was a polemic against Slavic Catholic priestIvan Tomko Mrnavić, who claimed that Kastrioti was of Slav origin.[7][8] Bardhi also complained that theAlbanian language "was being lost and degenerating" under the blows of foreign occupiers, and in order to preserve it he saw himself contributing to the missing of rising the national pride between Albanians.[5]
From 1637 on, Bardhi submitted reports in Italian and Latin to the Congregation of thePropaganda Fide inRome which contain a mine of information about hisdiocese, about political developments, about Albanian customs and about the structure and position of the Catholic Church inOttoman-occupiedAlbania.
He also raised his voice to defend the Albanian identity of Scanderbeg against a Slavic Catholic priest who claimed that our national hero was a Slav.
| Catholic Church titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Bishop of Sapë 1635–1644 | Succeeded by |
