St. Anthony's Church, Laç
| St. Anthony Church | |
|---|---|
| Native name Kisha e Shna Ndout (Albanian) | |
The church in a 2012 picture | |
| Location | Laç, Albania |
| Coordinates | 41°37′43.2″N 19°44′00.8″E / 41.628667°N 19.733556°E |
| Built | 1990s[1] |
St. Anthony's Church (Albanian: Kisha e Shna Ndout or Kisha e Laçit), is a Catholic church first built in 1300, then destroyed, and eventually rebuilt in the 1990s in the Albanian town of Laç.[1][2]
History
The site of the church was first built around year 1300, and dedicated to St. Mary, then renamed after Anthony of Padua in 1557.[3] It was built on a place previously held sacred by pagan sun worshippers and became a place of pilgrimage for Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christians as well as Muslims for its purported miraculous healing powers.[4] In 1964, the church was mostly destroyed by the communist regime in Albania but the walls still remained. In 1981, Albanian Communist soldiers arrived to completely remove all trace of the church. After demolishing one wall, it is reported that 32 soldiers were miraculously paralyzed from the waist down.[4] The Communist authorities claimed it was food poisoning and attempted to suppress media coverage of the reported miracle.[4]
The church was eventually fully rebuilt in the 1990s after funding from Germany, with the works being completed in 2000.[5] It is a Franciscan church.[2] Many renowned clergy have served in the church, including Shtjefën Gjeçovi, Vinçens Prennushi, Klement Miraj, Robert Ashta, and Zef Pllumi.[1] The church attracts over a million pilgrims every year.[6] The pilgrimage traditionally starts on 12 June with pilgrims gathering before the full pilgrimage walk to the church.[3] As part of the pilgrimage, some pilgrims take five white stones and whisper to each before putting them back, whilst others approach the church barefoot and place their feet into cracks in the rocks.[7]
References
- ^ a b c Merlika, Eugjen (13 June 2015). "Historia e Kishës së Laçit! Shenjti portugez i shqiptarëve". Mapo. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
- ^ a b Marku, Kastriot. "KISHA E SHNA NDOJIT (SHËN ANTONIT TË PADOVËS) NË LAÇ TË KURBINIT, MONUMENT I ARKITEKTURËS SË SHPRESËS DHE I SFIDËS NDAJ DIKTATURËS". Gazeta 55. Retrieved 21 September 2017.
- ^ a b Si, Nen (12 June 2020). "Albanians prepare for the annual pilgrimage of Saint Anthony". Euronews Albania. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ a b c "No Church in the Wild - The Peak of Laà§". Tirana Times. 22 February 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ "Church of St. Anthony in Cape Rodon". EU 4 Culture. 11 July 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ "Saint Anthony (Shna Ndou) Church in Lac". My Albania. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ "FEATURE: Albanian religions blend together after hard times". Taipei Times. 13 April 2011. Retrieved 30 June 2025.