March 13

Born Theophan Noli in 1882, Fan Noli was a multifaceted figure—a bishop in the Orthodox Church, writer, and political leader. He founded the Albanian Orthodox Church in America and published works on Albanian culture and history. In 1924, Noli led a revolt that briefly brought him to power as Prime Minister of Albania, introducing progressive reforms. His government was overthrown later that year, and he spent decades in exile. Noli remained a leading voice for Albanian independence and democracy until his death.

Born near Vienna in 1905, Franz König was ordained in 1938 and quickly became a trusted voice of the Church. He was elevated to cardinal by Pope Pius XII in 1953 and served as Archbishop of Vienna from 1956 to 1985. A pioneer of ecumenism, he played a key role in the Second Vatican Council's outreach to other faiths. He founded the International Catholic-Jewish Liaison Committee to foster understanding after World War II. His leadership left a lasting legacy of dialogue and reconciliation in the Catholic Church.