Scholars from four countries of the region meet in Tirana with one main goal: a visit to the National Historical Museum. The core of this visit was to introduce them closer to objects and relics of Saint John Vladimir, which are placed in Middle Age Pavilion. The scientific symposium, which shed light on life and activity of this Saint of the 10th century, was initiated by the science academies of Albania and Montenegro, together with historians and scholars from Macedonia and Bulgaria. In this activity were present also some of wellknown Albanian scholars such as: Vasil Tole, Floresha Dado, Shaban Sinani, etc
The first day of this activity, which included 22 presentations, took place in Podgorica, Montenegro on October 21st, 2016. The next day, the whole group moved to the National Historical Museum, in Tirana to continue later with a visit in Elbasan, precisely in Shijon’s church, which more than 1000 years ago was founded by John Vladimir.
Scholars and historians from four countries were welcomed by the director of the National Historical Museum Mr. Melsi Labi, who led and guide them in the Museum, not only in the Middle Ages pavillion, but also in Prehistoric one. Director Labi acknowledged scholars with the architrave portal of the southern entry of the church of St. John Vladimir’s Monastery, which is found in National Historical Museum. In stone, together with the emblem, the heraldic blazon of Prince Karl Topia, is carved a trilingual inscription (Latin, Greek and Slavic).
The head of the National Historical Museum acknowledged scholars with the most recent innovation, the remains (bones) of St. John Vladimir, which emerged from the unexposed fund, after the administrative decree “Program for health records and scientific study of the fund”. John Vladimir cult is widespread in Albania.
Precisely the uprising against the Bulgarians, the martyrdom of John Vladimir, which made the Albanians in Kraj, Ulcinj and beyond to identify the Prince as a martyr for their freedom. In history, John Vladimir is known as the Prince of the XI century in the province of Kraj, near Ulcinj and Shkodra. The entire province has been and is inhabited by Illyrian-Albanian population. He was born in the village of Vladimir, in Kraj, which today administratively is part of Montenegro. At the beginning of the XI century, the Byzantine Emperor, Vasil II, declared war on Bulgarian kingdom. In this war John Vladimir joined the Byzantine empire and defeated the Bulgarian army. After the loss, the Bulgarian Tsar died of grief. His son, Gabriel Radomir took power, but was murdered a year later by his brother, from his mother’s side, Ivan Vladyslav.
After ascendeding the Bulgarian throne, Ivan tried to extend its influence into the kingdom of his brother in law, John Vladimir. History, as well as the legend, shows that he invited John to visit his court in Ohrid and after a trap he cut his head by sword. And although the head was cut, the legend keeps saying that everyone saw him taking his head back with his left hand, while the right was holding a cross. He rode on horseback to the church he had himself built, where today stands the monastery with his own name in Shijon, Elbasan. And there he settled.
John Vladimir was martyred on 22 May 1015. After his death, his remains were preserved in the “St. Mary’s” church or as it is known “The Virgin of Kraj”. In 1215 despot Michael Komnen, took the holy bones of John Vladimir from Kraj and placed them in Durres, where they were honored by faithful belivers of both churches, East and West. But in 1381 Karl Topia, a powerful Albanian prince, who belonged to the Catholic faith, after conquering Durres, took the remains of John Vladimir and established an Orthodox church and monastery for their worship.
This Monastery today is found in Shijon, in Elbasan (a shorter way of Saint John).
It is precisely the place where John Vladimir stopped with his head cut and settled forever.
