Ernest Simoni legacy events

In late July 2026, 98‑year‑old Albanian Cardinal Ernest Simoni celebrated a Mass at the Parish of St. John the Baptist in Škurinjama, Rijeka, Croatia. The ceremony, attended by local parishioners and members of the Albanian Catholic community, was presented as a tribute to Simoni’s experience of persecution under Albania’s former communist regime and linked to the World Day of the Elderly.

A few days later, on 31 July, Simoni, then 97, returned to the former Spaç prison camp in Albania to preside over a Eucharistic celebration. Pope Francis sent a message to Simoni and the participants, recalling Simoni’s 18 years of imprisonment at the site and honoring the memory of those who suffered there. The Pope emphasized that no prison can separate a person from God’s love, framing the event as a testament to faith, courage, and hope.

A written message from the Vatican was also presented to Simoni during the Spaç ceremony, echoing the earlier remarks by declaring that “no chain is strong enough to imprison a conscience enlightened by the Gospel… no prison is deep enough to separate a person from the love of God.” The message underscored the enduring significance of the site as a place of remembrance and a symbol of spiritual resilience.