Albanian national hero honored with statue at suburban Detroit church

Published: 2006-10-23

ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. (CNS) -- Albanian President Alfred Moisiu and Cardinal Adam J. Maida of Detroit unveiled the new bronze equestrian statue of Albania's national hero, Gjerge Kastriot -- known as Skanderbeg -- on the grounds of St. Paul (Albanian) Church in the Detroit suburb of Rochester Hills. Addressing the crowd of some 4,500 people who gathered after the 12:30 p.m. Mass Sept. 24 for the unveiling, Moisiu spoke of the success of Skanderbeg, who lived from 1405 to 1468, and whose efforts not only won independence for Albania from Turkish domination for a time, but also stopped the advance of the Ottoman Turks in their drive to conquer Europe. Skanderbeg's example showed how even a numerically small people could make a big difference in the history of the world if they had it in their heart and soul to do so, he said, speaking in Albanian through an interpreter.

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