Archbishop of Tiranë-Durrës
Bishop Arjan Dodaj was born on 21 January 1977 in Laç-Kurbin. In 1993, after completing his studies in Albania, he emigrated to Italy, to Cuneo. In 1997 he requested to enter to the Priestly Fraternity of the Sons of the Cross, Community House of Mary, based in Rome. He studied philosophy and theology in preparation for the priesthood at the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree. He was ordained a priest on 11 May 2003 for the diocese of Rome, as member of the aforementioned Fraternity. In 2017 he transferred as fidei donum to the metropolitan archdiocese of Tiranë-Durrës. Since priestly ordination he has held the following offices: parish vicar (2003-2017); vice rector of the vice rector of the rectory of San Giovanni della Malva and chaplain of the Albanian community in Rome (2004-2005), vicar general of the metropolitan archdiocese of Tiranë-Durrës, parish priest, head of university pastoral care, deputy secretary of the Albanian Episcopal Conference and general secretary of the diocesan Synod. He was appointed auxiliary bishop of Tiranë-Durrës on 9 April 2020 and consecrated on the following 15 September.