Çiprian Nika | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Photo of Çiprian Nika most likely photographed byKel Marubi. | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Dedë Nika (1900-07-19)19 July 1900 |
| Died | 19 March 1948(1948-03-19) (aged 47) Zall i Kirit, Shkodër, Albania |
| Sainthood | |
| Feast day | 5 November |
| Venerated in | Roman Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 5 November 2016 Saint Stephen's Cathedral, Shkodër, Albania by CardinalAngelo Amato |
Çiprian Nika, OFM (Shkodër, 19 July 1900 – 11 March 1948) was anAlbanianCatholic priest,Franciscan, teacher, and publicist.
The diocesan process for hisbeatification was announced on November 10, 2002, by CardinalCrescenzio Sepe, then Prefect of theCongregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, during theEucharist atSt. Stephen’s Cathedral, Shkodër. Nika wasbeatified on 5 November 2016, in the square in front of the cathedral.[1]
He was born in Shkodër as Deda, to Mëhill Nikë and Prenda Ali Mirashi[2] from the village of Celaj (nowShosh). Deda was orphaned of his mother at the age of five and brought to a local Franciscan orphanage.[3] He excelled as a student and took his calling in the Order of Saint Francis. He entered the priesthood on 16 October 1916; took the provisional conditions on 23 October 1917; was ordained on 16 September 1921; and celebrated his firstMass on 25 July 1924.[2]
After completing his theological studies inAustria, he took the Franciscan nameCyprian in theOrder of Friars Minor. He returned to Shkodër to teach at theIllyricum school. Under the direction of FatherMartin Gjoka, he also participated in the Franciscan wind orchestra of around 40 people, in which he played theflute.
In 1939, he took over the post of provincial deputy, succeedingMati Prennushi as provincial guardian in 1943.
With the advent of thePeople's Socialist Republic of Albania, Nika was arrested and accused of hiding weapons. On 28 December 1947, the Trial Panel ruled that he was to die byfiring squad and thatPal Dodaj ofJanjevo was to be imprisoned for life. Nika was shot on 11 March 1948, at 5:00 in the morning, in the prison surrounded by his associates.[4]
