The 320th anniversary of the Arbri Assembly was commemorated in Lezha, one of the most important events for the preservation of national identity. 
 In the church where the assembly was held in the village of Mërqi, a commemorative event was organized in which historians, local authorities and representatives from the Albanian-speaking regions participated. Part of the activity was the promotion of Monsignor Vinçens Zmajevic’s report, published in the Albanian language.
“At the end of the work of the Assembly, the decree was signed, which was published in Latin by Monsignor Vinçens Zmajevic. It shows that the Albanian Catholic clergy stood with the people and preceded the National Renaissance”, said researcher Dom Nik Ukgjini.
The well-known historian Pëllumb Xhufi estimates that it is a great event for the country’s history.

“One of the most important pages of the nation’s history was written here,” he said.

The Church Assembly of Arbri was a meeting of the Albanian Catholic clergy, held on January 14-15, 1703 in the Church of Saint John the Great in the village of Merqi in Lezha, with the support of Pope Clement XI of Albanian origin. Among the main decisions were the opening of schools and publications in the Albanian language, which were implemented throughout the 18th and 19th century.

/k.s/