January 6 marks the day when Theofan Stilian Noli was born, in 1882.

Noli was an Albanian writer, scholar, diplomat, politician, historian, orator, Archbishop, Metropolitan and founder of the Albanian Orthodox Church and the Albanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America who served as Prime Minister and regent of Albania in 1924 during the June Revolution.

He completed his primary and secondary school in Greek in Heybeliada, Istanbul. However, he was more influenced by the pride of the Albanian village for the historical past and the love for Albanian writing against the perverse political influence that the Orthodox Patriarchate wanted to have on the Orthodox of different nationalities, especially the Albanians.

Noli translated many American and European authors of the century. XIX, using his musical ear, was able to reflect the style and rhythmic colors of the original.

Although he did not write much in the field of literature, he remains a great writer.

In July 1913, Fan Noli came to Albania for the first time, where he held the first Orthodox church service in the Albanian language in the country, on March 10, 1914, in the presence of Prince Vilhelm Vidi, who had arrived in Durrës only three days earlier with an Austro-Hungarian ship.

He was a respected figure who remained critical of corruption and injustice in the Albanian government, Fan Noli was asked to lead the 1924 June Revolution. He then served as prime minister until his revolutionary government was overthrown by Ahmet Zogu. He was exiled to Italy and permanently settled in the United States in the 1930s, acquiring US citizenship and agreeing to end his political involvement. He spent the rest of his life as an academician, religious leader, and writer.

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