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Michel Setboun

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Albanie V : “Quand Un plancher se transforme en iconostase “

Michel Setboun
Albanie V: Quand Un plancher se transforme en iconostase

En 1967, le dictateur communiste Enver Hoxha, dandy et prof de français formé à Montpellier, décrète « la  mort de Dieu ». Une véritable guerre de religion est engagée : les lieux de culte, églises, mosquées, Teke, sont détruits à l’explosif, brulés, transformés en entrepôt, en gymnase, en cinéma, ou simplement fermés. Les prêtres, les mollahs sont exécutés, envoyés en prison ou dans les camps de travail. Peu d’entre eux d’ailleurs survivront à ces camps. En 1990, le régime communiste s’effondre, les albanais récupèrent leurs lieux de culte en ruine. Je rencontre Liazar Pjeshkazini en 1990. Dans le gymnase de Tirana, avec des amis ils ont repris possession de ce qui fut la vieille cathédrale orthodoxe.

Ils n’ont aucune aide pour réparer l’édifice, et Liazar décide de récupérer le plancher du gymnase pour en faire l’iconostase. Un vieux prêtre rescapé des camps qui a oublié une partie de la liturgie dirige les premières prières dans la cathédrale en ruine. Ironie de l’histoire, quelques années auparavant, sous le régime communiste, et dans ce même lieu, un gymnaste faisait, à son insu, le signe de la croix.

Albania V: When a Floor Becomes an Iconostasis

In 1967, the communist dictator Enver Hoxha, a dandy and French professor trained in Montpellier, declared “the death of God.” A true religious war ensued: places of worship—churches, mosques, Teke—were blown up, burned, transformed into warehouses, gyms, cinemas, or simply closed. Priests and mullahs were executed, imprisoned, or sent to labor camps. Few of them survived these camps.

In 1990, the communist regime collapsed, and Albanians reclaimed their ruined places of worship. I met Liazar Pjeshkazini in 1990. In Tirana’s gymnasium, he and his friends had taken back what was once the old Orthodox cathedral.

They had no assistance to repair the building, so Liazar decided to repurpose the gym floor into an iconostasis. An old priest, a camp survivor who had forgotten part of the liturgy, led the first prayers in the ruined cathedral.

Ironically, a few years earlier under the communist regime, a gymnast in this same place unknowingly made the sign of the cross.

Albania. Tirana. Orthodox cathedral of Tirana. wXth the floor of the former sport palace (before the orthodox cathedral of Tirana) people are building the iconostase Albania

Ils n’ont aucune aide pour réparer l’édifice, et Liazar décide de récupérer le plancher du gymnase pour en faire l’iconostase. Un vieux prêtre rescapé des camps qui a oublié une partie de la liturgie dirige les premières prières dans la cathédrale en ruine. Ironie de l’histoire, quelques années auparavant, sous le régime communiste, et dans ce même lieu, un gymnaste faisait, à son insu, le signe de la croix.

Albania. Tirana. Orthodox cathedral of Tirana. with the floor of the former sport palace (before the orthodox cathedral of Tirana) people are building the iconostase Albania / R00215/90 L2488 / P0001766
Albania. Rebirth of Christianism after the collapse of the communist regime. Tirana. Former orthodox cathedral transformed~ in a sport palace where the junior team of` the country is training.
Albania. Tirana. Orthodox cathedral of Tirana. wXth the floor of the former sport palace (before the orthodox cathedral of Tirana) people are building the iconostase Albania
Rebirth of Christianism after the collapse of the communist regime. Tirana. Orthodox cathedral of Tirana, first mass. in this church transformed in a sport palace under the communist regime
Albania. baptism in the former Orthodox cathedral of Tirana, this church was transformed in a sport palace under the communist regime
Albania. Rebirth of Christianism after the collapse of the communist regime. Tirana. Orthodox cathedral of Tirana, first mass. in this church transformed in a sport palace under the communist regime
Albania. Tirana. Orthodox cathedral of Tirana. in 2019
Albania. Tirana. Former orthodox cathedral transformed in a sport palace where the junior team of` the country is training.
Albania. Tirana. Former orthodox cathedral transformed in a sport palace where the junior team of` the country is training.
Albania. Tirana. Orthodox cathedr
al of Tirana. in 2019

Michel Setboun

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