Tiranë-Durrës (Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Arjan Dodaj, F.D.C., Archbishop
George Anthony Frendo, O.P., Archbishop Emeritus

Suffragan Dioceses

Rrëshen
Southern Albania {Albania Meridionale} (Apostolic Administration)

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Name Changed: 25 January 2005
Metropolitan See
Depends on: Dicastery for Bishops
Rite: Latin (or Roman)
Country: Albania
Square Kilometers: 2,263 (874 Square Miles)
Mailing Address: Arqipeshkvia, Bulevardi Zhan d'Ark, Tirane, Shqiperia
Telephone: (4)2232.082

Past and Present Ordinaries

Manfredo † ( 1209 Appointed - 1211 Died)
Matteo † ( 1320 Appointed - 1334 Died)
Pietro da Geronsa, O.F.M. † (23 Mar 1340 Appointed - )
Angelo , O.F.M. † ( 1344 Appointed - )
Antonio de Alexandria, O.F.M. † (25 May 1349 Appointed - )
Demetrio † (20 Dec 1363 Appointed - )
Giovanni † (28 Sep 1388 Appointed - )
Stefano di Napoli, O. Carm. † (3 Jun 1394 Appointed - )
Giovanni Bonifacio Panella † (15 May 1395 Appointed - 16 May 1399 Appointed, Archbishop (Personal Title) of Capaccio)
Leonardo Piermicheli † (5 Jun 1399 Appointed - )
Minore † (11 Aug 1404 Appointed - )
Giovanni di Durazzo, O.P. † (1 Oct 1412 Appointed - )
Nicola di Cosma, O.F.M. † (6 Jul 1422 Appointed - )
Giovanni de Monte † (21 Oct 1429 Appointed - )
Giacomo de Cortino † (26 Jan 1457 Appointed - 1458 Died)
Stefano Birello, O.S.M. † (9 Mar 1458 Appointed - 1459 Died)
Pal Engjëlli † (19 Mar 1460 Appointed - 1469 Died)
Nicola Barrault (Barbuti), O.P. † (5 May 1469 Appointed - 1474 Died)
Marco Cattaneo † (16 Nov 1474 Appointed - Aug 1487 Died)
Martino Firmani † (18 Feb 1492 Appointed - 6 Aug 1499 Died)
Francesco Quirini † (27 Nov 1499 Appointed - 1 Aug 1505 Died)
Nicola Foresio, O.S.A. † (1 Sep 1505 Appointed - 1511 Died)
Gabriele Mascioli Foschi, O.E.S.A. † ( 1511 Appointed - 10 Dec 1533 Died)
Georges Stemagu † (21 Jun 1535 Appointed - 1540 Died)
Luigi Blanco, O.F.M. Conv. † (16 Apr 1540 Appointed - )
Antonio Provana † (21 Jul 1622 Appointed - 19 Jan 1632 Appointed, Archbishop of Torino {Turin})
Girolamo Greco † ( 1634 Appointed - )
Marc Scurra, O.F.M. † (10 Sep 1640 Appointed - 27 Apr 1656 Died)
Nicolaus Carpenia † (27 Aug 1657 Appointed - 20 May 1670 Died)
Gerardus Galata † (19 May 1670 Appointed - )
Petrus Zumi † (30 Mar 1700 Appointed - 1720 Died)
Pietro Scurra † (30 Sep 1720 Appointed - 1737 Died)
John Galata † (26 Jan 1739 Appointed - 28 Feb 1752 Died)
Nicolaus Radovani † (18 Dec 1752 Appointed - 16 May 1774 Died)
Thomas Mariagni † (27 Jun 1774 Appointed - 1808 Died)
Paul Galata † ( 1808 Succeeded - 12 Aug 1836 Died)
Nicolaus Bianchi † (26 Jun 1838 Appointed - 7 May 1843 Died)
Giorgio Labella, O.F.M. Ref. † (26 Nov 1844 Appointed - 4 Jun 1847 Resigned)
Raffaele d’Ambrosio, O.F.M. Ref. † (17 Dec 1847 Appointed - 27 Nov 1892 Retired)
Primo Bianchi † (17 Jul 1893 Appointed - 12 Jun 1922 Resigned)
Francesco Giacinto Melchiori, O.F.M. † (12 Jun 1922 Succeeded - 31 Oct 1928 Died)
Pjetër Gjura † (15 May 1929 Appointed - 9 Jul 1939 Died)
Bl. Nikollë Vinçenc Prennushi, O.F.M. † (26 Jun 1940 Appointed - 19 Mar 1949 Died)
Rrok Kola Mirdita † (25 Dec 1992 Appointed - 7 Dec 2015 Died)
George Anthony Frendo, O.P. (17 Nov 2016 Appointed - 30 Nov 2021 Retired)
Arjan Dodaj, F.D.C. (30 Nov 2021 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
Archdiocese of Durrës (Durazzo)
13th Century	Erected		Archdiocese of Durrës (Durazzo) (erected)
1640	Territory Added	Diocese of Albania (suppressed) Diocese of Mostar (suppressed)	Archdiocese of Durrës (Durazzo)
10 March 1926	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Durrës (Durazzo) (Epirus, Greece)	Archdiocese of Corfù, Zante e Cefalonia
11 November 1939	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Durrës (Durazzo) (Elbassan, Korea, Berat, Wallona, and Argyrocastro)	Apostolic Administration of Southern Albania {Albania Meridionale} (erected)
Archdiocese of Durrës-Tiranë
23 December 1992	United	Archdiocese of Durrës (Durazzo)	Archdiocese of Durrës-Tiranë
7 December 1996	Territory Lost	Archdiocese of Durrës-Tiranë Territorial Abbey of Shën Llezhri i Oroshit (Orosh) (suppressed)	Diocese of Rrëshen (erected) (Rrëshen (Mirdita), Burrel, Bulquize, and Peshkopi)
Archdiocese of Tiranë-Durrës
25 January 2005	Name Changed	Archdiocese of Durrës-Tiranë	Archdiocese of Tiranë-Durrës (and became a Metropolitan)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

Archdiocese of Durrës (Durazzo)

1950 28,877 13 15 28 1,031 20 ap1951

Archdiocese of Durrës-Tiranë

1999 62,000 892,000 7.0% 8 22 30 2,066 25 87 19 ap2000

2000 67,429 897,429 7.5% 8 26 34 1,983 30 103 18 ap2001

2001 114,300 1,000,000 11.4% 9 26 35 3,265 30 106 18 ap2002

2002 96,645 1,000,000 9.7% 11 26 37 2,612 31 108 18 ap2003

2003 119,614 1,200,000 10.0% 11 23 34 3,518 27 107 21 ap2004

2004 105,400 1,200,000 8.8% 2 28 30 3,513 33 123 21 ap2005

Archdiocese of Tiranë-Durrës

2010 130,380 1,205,000 10.8% 9 30 39 3,343 35 118 19 ap2011

2014 135,400 1,206,000 11.2% 10 29 39 3,471 33 110 19 ap2015

2017 135,400 1,204,000 11.2% 5 28 33 4,103 29 122 20 ap2018

2020 125,375 1,247,330 10.1% 5 32 37 3,388 33 107 19 ap2021

2022 122,878 1,242,100 9.9% 7 29 36 3,413 32 106 19 ap2023

Year	Catholics	Total Population	Percent Catholic	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
Archdiocese of Durrës (Durazzo)
1950	28,877			13	15	28	1,031			20	ap1951
Archdiocese of Durrës-Tiranë
1999	62,000	892,000	7.0%	8	22	30	2,066	25	87	19	ap2000
2000	67,429	897,429	7.5%	8	26	34	1,983	30	103	18	ap2001
2001	114,300	1,000,000	11.4%	9	26	35	3,265	30	106	18	ap2002
2002	96,645	1,000,000	9.7%	11	26	37	2,612	31	108	18	ap2003
2003	119,614	1,200,000	10.0%	11	23	34	3,518	27	107	21	ap2004
2004	105,400	1,200,000	8.8%	2	28	30	3,513	33	123	21	ap2005
Archdiocese of Tiranë-Durrës
2010	130,380	1,205,000	10.8%	9	30	39	3,343	35	118	19	ap2011
2014	135,400	1,206,000	11.2%	10	29	39	3,471	33	110	19	ap2015
2017	135,400	1,204,000	11.2%	5	28	33	4,103	29	122	20	ap2018
2020	125,375	1,247,330	10.1%	5	32	37	3,388	33	107	19	ap2021
2022	122,878	1,242,100	9.9%	7	29	36	3,413	32	106	19	ap2023

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Antonio de Alexandria, O.F.M. † (Archbishop: 25 May 1349)
Nicola Barrault (Barbuti), O.P. † (Bishop: 5 May 1469 to 1474)
Nicolaus Bianchi † (Archbishop: 26 Jun 1838 to 7 May 1843)
Primo Bianchi † (Archbishop: 17 Jul 1893 to 12 Jun 1922)
Stefano Birello, O.S.M. † (Archbishop: 9 Mar 1458 to 1459)
Luigi Blanco, O.F.M. Conv. † (Archbishop: 16 Apr 1540)
Nicolaus Carpenia † (Archbishop: 27 Aug 1657 to 20 May 1670)
Marco Cattaneo † (Archbishop: 16 Nov 1474 to Aug 1487)
Giovanni Collesius, O.F.M. Obs. † (Apostolic Administrator: 14 Feb 1626 to 1635)
Giacomo de Cortino † (Archbishop: 26 Jan 1457 to 1458)
Nicola di Cosma, O.F.M. † (Archbishop: 6 Jul 1422)
Raffaele d’Ambrosio, O.F.M. Ref. † (Archbishop: 17 Dec 1847 to 27 Nov 1892)
Pjetër Dema † (Vicar Capitular: 27 Jan 1952 to 28 Jan 1955)
Giovanni di Durazzo, O.P. † (Archbishop: 1 Oct 1412)
Pal Engjëlli † (Archbishop: 19 Mar 1460 to 1469)
Martino Firmani † (Archbishop: 18 Feb 1492 to 6 Aug 1499)
Nicola Foresio, O.S.A. † (Archbishop: 1 Sep 1505 to 1511)
Gabriele Mascioli Foschi, O.E.S.A. † (Archbishop: 1511 to 10 Dec 1533)
Gerardus Galata † (Archbishop: 19 May 1670)
John Galata † (Archbishop: 26 Jan 1739 to 28 Feb 1752)
Paul Galata † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 9 Sep 1803; Archbishop: 1808 to 12 Aug 1836)
Pietro da Geronsa, O.F.M. † (Archbishop: 23 Mar 1340)
Pjetër Gjura † (Archbishop: 15 May 1929 to 9 Jul 1939)
Girolamo Greco † (Archbishop: 1634)
Giorgio Labella, O.F.M. Ref. † (Archbishop: 26 Nov 1844 to 4 Jun 1847)
Thomas Mariagni † (Archbishop: 27 Jun 1774 to 1808)
Francesco Giacinto Melchiori, O.F.M. † (Coadjutor Archbishop: 28 Sep 1921; Archbishop: 12 Jun 1922 to 31 Oct 1928)
Rrok Kola Mirdita † (Archbishop: 25 Dec 1992 to 7 Dec 2015)
Giovanni de Monte † (Archbishop: 21 Oct 1429)
Stefano di Napoli, O. Carm. † (Archbishop: 3 Jun 1394)
Giovanni Bonifacio Panella † (Archbishop: 15 May 1395 to 16 May 1399)
Leonardo Piermicheli † (Archbishop: 5 Jun 1399)
Bl. Nikollë Vinçenc Prennushi, O.F.M. † (Archbishop: 26 Jun 1940 to 19 Mar 1949)
Antonio Provana † (Archbishop: 21 Jul 1622 to 19 Jan 1632)
Francesco Quirini † (Archbishop: 27 Nov 1499 to 1 Aug 1505)
Nicolaus Radovani † (Archbishop: 18 Dec 1752 to 16 May 1774)
Marc Scurra, O.F.M. † (Archbishop: 10 Sep 1640 to 27 Apr 1656)
Pietro Scurra † (Archbishop: 30 Sep 1720 to 1737)
Georges Stemagu † (Archbishop: 21 Jun 1535 to 1540)
Nikollë Troshani † (Apostolic Administrator: 18 Apr 1958 to 1991)
Pasquale Trosksi †
Petrus Zumi † (Archbishop: 30 Mar 1700 to 1720)
Angelo , O.F.M. † (Archbishop: 1344)
Demetrio † (Archbishop: 20 Dec 1363)
Giovanni † (Archbishop: 28 Sep 1388)
Manfredo † (Archbishop: 1209 to 1211)
Matteo † (Archbishop: 1320 to 1334)
Minore † (Archbishop: 11 Aug 1404)

Source(s)

Archdiocese of Durrës (Durazzo)
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 1, Page 232, and Page 233
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 2, Page 148
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 3, Page 189
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 4, Page 179
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 5, Page 190
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 6, Page 203
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 7, Page 182
- Hierarchia Catholica, Volume 8, Page 254, and Page 255
- Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Volume 1, Page 407, to Page 408

Archdiocese of Tiranë-Durrës