Qerim Sadiku was a Catholic layman from Albania who was executed in 1946. Born in 1919 in what was then the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, he had converted from Islam to Catholicism. A former lieutenant in the gendarmerie, he was known for his deep religious devotion and his frequent pilgrimages to St. Anthony Church. Following the end of the war, his political activities and affiliations led to his arrest by the communist government, eventually resulting in his death by a firing squad in Shkodër.
Life and death
After marrying Marije Vata in 1944, Sadiku lived in Shkodër, where he operated a shop. His political opposition to the new communist regime led to his imprisonment in late 1945. He was accused of participating in the Albanian Union and encouraging others to abstain from voting. In February 1946, he received a death sentence and was executed alongside several clerics. His final words expressed forgiveness for his executioners and a devotion to Christ and Albania.
Veneration
The Catholic Church recognized Sadiku as a martyr in 2016. He is included among the Martyrs of Albania, a group of individuals honored for their faith during the communist era. His beatification ceremony was conducted at the Shkodër Cathedral by Cardinal Angelo Amato. He is commemorated annually on 5 November.