Albania, June 17, 2025
Photo: Radio Ngjallja
The Albanian Orthodox Church’s Radio Ngjallja has released a 40-minute documentary about Fr. Aleksandër Lipe, an Orthodox priest who was executed during Albania’s Communist era.
The film, titled “Fr. Aleksandër Lipe: New-Martyr of the Orthodox Church,” is the first in a series documenting the lives of clergy who suffered during Communist purges to be published with English subtitles.
The documentary opens with the narrator explaining:
After the country's liberation in 1944, the communists who came to power began persecuting anyone who spoke out against their dictatorship. Among those targeted were local clergymen, many of whom were imprisoned, exiled, persecuted, and even executed.
One such figure was Father Aleksandër Lipe, an Orthodox priest from Kaludh in Permet. A dedicated cleric, a teacher of the Albanian language, and a patriot, Father Aleksandër was tragically executed on July 4, 1946.
The film features reflections from family members and others who venerate Fr. Lipe’s memory, footage of locations significant to his life, and dramatized scenes depicting his life and martyrdom. It has been prepared specifically for Orthodox faithful in both Albania and America, marking the first release in the series to include English subtitles.
The Orthodox Church in America’s Albanian Archdiocese reported on the video’s release, encouraging parishes to organize group viewings for men’s groups, women's organizations, and youth groups. The documentary is available on YouTube and aims to preserve the memory of those who maintained their faith during Albania’s Communist period.
The series documents what the church describes as a continuation of Christian witness in Albanian lands, which has persisted through various historical challenges including invasions, Ottoman occupation, and the struggle for national independence.
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Fr. Aleksandër Lipe was born in Kaludh, Përmet on January 12, 1895. He studied at the Theological School in Ioannina and became a priest and teacher, opening religious schools in Përmet and the first Albanian language school in Kaludh. He later taught at a clerical school in Berat.
During the Italian occupation, he organized anti-fascist revolts and was arrested and interned in Italy for 11 months. After his return, he wielded significant influence in Përmet and repeatedly warned people about the dangers of communism, refusing to cooperate with communist authorities and openly criticizing them.
He was arrested on February 9, 1946, tried in Gjirokastër on charges of espionage and high treason, and sentenced to death. Fr. Lipe was executed on July 4, 1946; his body was never found. In 2020, he was posthumously awarded the Knight of the Order of Skanderbeg decoration on the 125th anniversary of his birth.
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