Today, we are honored to commemorate a remarkable milestone—the 100th birth anniversary of Father Zef Pllumi, a towering figure of knowledge, resilience, and memory in Albanian history. As a celebrated priest, writer, and thinker, Father Zef Pllumi’s legacy extends beyond his profound contributions to literature and education.

Father Zef Pllumi, is the symbol of knowledge, resilience, and memory, celebrates his 100^th birth-anniversary.

Although he left this world 15 years ago in 2007, his work remains a resounding echo in the conscience of every Albanian, an accusation and a call for the much-needed catharsis for the Albanian people. With his masterpiece “Live Only to Tell,” Father Zef Pllumi made an extraordinary, incomparable contribution to narrating the painful true history of Albania under the communist regime.

Father Zef Pllumi was born on August 28, 1924 in Boge. He was a Franciscan friar, publicist, and Albanian memoirist.

In 1931, he entered the Franciscan College of Shkodra, where notable figures of the time, such as Fishta, Harapi, the composer Gjoka, Shllaku, and others, taught. He received a classical education in philosophy, theology, and literature and became proficient in several foreign languages: Latin, Italian, French, German, and Ancient Greek.In his book, he mentions that he could recognize Roman emperors by their faces on coins without needing to read the inscriptions. He graduated from the “Illyricum” high school in 1943.

In 1943–44, while still a deacon, Pllumi was one of the contributors to the magazine “Light of the Star”.

On the 22^nd of December 14, 1946, he was arrested and sentenced to three years in prison, which he served at the Great Prison of Shkodra and in the infamous camps of Bedeni in Myzeqe and Orman-Pojan in Maliq.

In 1958, he was ordained as a priest. For the next 12 years, he served as a priest in Dukagjin. In 1967, he was arrested again and spent 23 years in various prisons and camps. From 1967 to 1989, he was imprisoned in Spaç, Reps, Ballsh, Zejmen-Shënkoll, Shën Vasil, and Tirana. On 11 April 1989 he was released from prison and he served as a priest at the Church of Saint Anthony in Tirana until 1997.

He met with Mother Teresa when she came to Albania and, from 1993 until 1997, he started to republish the magazine Light of the Star, which after a six-year pause was republished in 2003.During the 1990s he published the trilogy “Live Only to Tell”, Great Franciscans, The friar of the Bushatli Pashalars etc.

He found the relics of Father Gjergj Fishta and republished the works of the Franciscans of Albania.

Father Zef Pllumi left an extraordinary legacy: his works, his life, and his valuable teachings on how one should never lose hope, faith, and spirit but remain steadfast, resist, and never succumb to evil.

One of his immensely valuable initiatives was the re-publication of the complete series of works by the Franciscan fathers, which had been barbarically removed from circulation and library shelves. He also wrote numerous articles for various Albanian press outlets. The renowned writer At Zef Pllumi was awarded the “Order of National Honor” and the “Golden Pen” prize by the Writers’ Competition.

/k.s/