San Giorgio Albanese
Introduction
The Italo-Albanians are a linguistic minority present in southern Italy and Sicily, historically settled in the territory from the 15th to the 18th century, coming from Albania, Epirus and the numerous Arvaniti of Attica and Morea in Greece. Their culture is characterized by the preservation of the Arbëreshë language, Byzantine liturgy, customs, traditions, art, and gastronomy.
The Italo-Albanian Catholic Church
The Italo-Albanian Catholic Church is a Church sui iuris of Eastern Catholic Churches, composed of three ecclesiastical circumscriptions: two Eparchies, the Eparchy of Lungro (CS) in Calabria for the Albanians of mainland Italy and the Eparchy of Piana degli Albanesi (PA) in Sicily for the Albanians of Sicily, and a territorial abbey, the Territorial Abbey of Santa Maria di Grottaferrata (RM) in Latium.
The preservation of ethnic identity
For over five centuries, most of the Italo-Albanian community still preserves the original Byzantine rite. The Albanian ethno-linguistic group has managed to maintain its identity having in the clergy, and its institutions, the strongest guardian and the cornerstone of ethnic identity.
The Arbëreshë language
The language spoken by the "arbëreshë" is Arbëreshe, which derives from the Tosk Albanian language spoken in southern Albania. The language is protected in Italy thanks to the law on linguistic minorities.
The Italo-Albanian population
Albanians in Italy are estimated to be around 100,000 and constitute one of the largest of Italy's historic linguistic minorities. The population recognizes itself with the ethnonym "arbëreshë" and uses the term Arbëria to define its scattered "nation."
The "Moti i Madh"
Since 2020, the culture and rites of the Albanian population in Italy are candidates for the list of Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity under the title "Moti i Madh" (The Great Time), formalized in collaboration with the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania through the Ministry of Culture (Albania).
In summary, the Italo-Albanians are a linguistic minority settled in southern Italy and Sicily, who have preserved their traditions, culture, and original language thanks to the Italo-Albanian Catholic Church and the preservation carried out by clergy and institutions. The population recognizes itself with the ethnonym Arbëreshë and uses the term Arbëria to define its scattered "nation." The Arbëreshë language is protected in Italy, and the Albanian population in Italy is a candidate for the list of Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity under the title "Moti i Madh."
