” “Tomorrow, a ceremony with an award given to father Oreste Benzi for his work for ‘Papa Giovanni XXIII’, an association which helps traded Albanian girls, and next Saturday the solemn dedication of the parish church of Blinisht (diocese of Sape) to the Albanian martyr saints: this is the plan that awaits cardinal Josè Saraiva Martins, prefect of the Congregation of the Cases of the Saints, who has been invited by the Albanian Bishops’ Conference to these two events, which concern both the ancient Christian community of Albania and the latest problems of the country, which is trying to develop after decades of Communist dictatorship. The award will be given to father Benzi by the Albanian branch of Caritas. The martyr saints to whom the new church will be dedicated are Saint Danakto, deacon of Valona, and Saint Astio, bishop of Durazzo, who were persecuted at the time of Emperor Trajan two thousand years ago. The church will also be dedicated to other ancient martyrs. The occasion will also celebrate the latest martyrs, in particular, the 40 witnesses of the faith who were killed 60 years ago under the Communist dictatorship, for whom the beatification procedures have been started. One of them is father Daniel Dajani, a Jesuit priest born in Blinisht, where the new church has been erected. He will be celebrated on the hundredth anniversary of his birth.
