Profile of the Church in Albania

January 17, 2026

The Church in Albana has 491,870 Catholics, or 16.4% of the total Albanian population of 3,002,392, according to statistics in the new (2025) edition of the Annuario Pontificio [Pontifical Yearbook], published by the Vatican’s Secretariat of State. Remarkably, one diocese (the Diocese of Lezhë) has the majority of the nation’s seminarians.

The 2026 edition of The World Almanac, in contrast, reports that the southeastern European nation has a population of 2,551,837, 11.4% of whom are Catholic. The World Almanac states that Albania is 65.3% Muslim (61% Sunni, 4% Shia) and 32.8% Christian (19.9% Orthodox, 11.4% Catholic).

Albania’s six ecclesial jurisdictions reported to the Vatican a total of 127 parishes, two mission churches, 54 diocesan priests, 95 religious-order priests, no permanent deacons, 19 seminarians, 29 religious brothers, and 388 religious sisters. The six jurisdictions—two archdioceses, three dioceses, and an apostolic administration—reported a combined 3,317 baptisms and one priestly ordination in 2024.

Three of the six jurisdictions reported that they have no seminarians. The Diocese of Lezhë, which has 17.8% of the nation’s Catholics, has the majority (63.2%) of the nation’s seminarians.

The Archdiocese of Tiranë–Durrës has 120,000 Catholics, in an area a total population of 1,223,600. The archdiocese has 23 parishes (or quasi-parishes), seven diocesan priests, 31 religious-order priests, no permanent deacons, no seminarians, four brothers, and 96 sisters. It operates ten educational institutions and eight charitable institutions and reported 1,209 baptisms and no priestly ordinations in 2024. With roots dating back to the 13th century, the see has been led by Archbishop Dodaj Ardan since 2021.

The archdiocese’s suffragan sees are

• the Diocese of Rrëshen, which has 49,400 Catholics in an area with a total population of 167,630. The diocese has 14 parishes, three diocesan priests, two religious-order priests, no permanent deacons, two seminarians, no brothers, and 14 sisters. It operates 14 educational institutions and two charitable institutions. It reported 134 baptisms and no priestly ordinations in 2024. Founded in 1996, the see has been led by Bishop Gjergj Meta since 2017. Bishop Meta also serves as president of the Episcopal Conference of Albania.
• the Apostolic Administration of Southern Albania, which has only 2,966 Catholics in an area with a population of 1,054,840. The jurisdiction has six parishes, no diocesan priests, 14 religious-order priests, no permanent deacons, no seminarians, four brothers, and 56 sisters. It operates nine educational institutions and three charitable institutions. It reported 33 baptisms and no priestly ordinations in 2024. Founded in 1939, the see became vacant in 2024.

The Archdiocese of Shkodrë-Pult has 170,724 Catholics, in an area with a total population of 290,632. The archdiocese has 40 parishes, 20 diocesan priests, 28 religious-order priests, no permanent deacons, five seminarians, 17 brothers, and 132 sisters. It operates 15 educational institutions and 45 charitable institutions and reported 886 baptisms and one diocesan priestly ordination in 2024. With roots dating back to 385, the see has been led by Archbishop Giovanni Peragine since 2025.

The archdiocese’s suffragan sees are

• the Diocese of Lezhë, which has 87,400 Catholics in an area with a total population of 136,800. The diocese has 12 parishes and one mission church, 14 diocesan priests, 10 religious-order priests, no permanent deacons, 12 seminarians, three brothers, and 42 sisters. It operates 15 educational institutions and three charitable institutions. It reported 721 baptisms and no priestly ordinations in 2024. Founded in the 14th century, the see has been led by Bishop Ottavio Vitale since 2005.
• the Diocese of Sapë, which has 61,380 Catholics in an area with a total population of 129,250. The diocese has 32 parishes and one mission church, 10 diocesan priests, 10 religious-order priests, no permanent deacons, no seminarians, one brother, and 48 sisters. It operates two educational institutions and nine charitable institutions. It reported 334 baptisms and no priestly ordinations in 2024. Founded in the 1062, the see has been vacant since 2025.

The Church suffered persecution under Zog I, who ruled Albania from 1925 to 1939. Like other religions, the Church suffered an intense and brutal persecution under Communist ruler Enver Hoxha in the decades following World War II. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops notes:

During 45 years of communist dictatorship, the Church fell victim, as did all religions, to systematic persecution: non-Albanian missionaries were expelled; death, prison sentences and other repressive measure were enacted against Church personnel and laity; Catholic schools and church were closed and used for other purposes, and lines of communication with the Holy See were cut off. In 1967, the government, declaring it had eliminated all religion the country, proclaimed itself the first atheist state in the world. The right to practice religion was restored in the late 1990.

Dozens of 20th-century Albanian martyrs have been beatified. Two popes have made apostolic journeys to Albania: St. John Paul II in 1993 and Pope Francis in 2014.

 

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Further information:

• Annuario Pontificio