November 8 marks 564 years since Archbishop of Durrës Pal Engjëlli recorded the “Baptismal Formula”, the earliest known dated document in the Albanian language. He wrote it on November 8, 1462, making it a landmark in the history of written Albanian.

Although the document uses Latin, it contains a baptismal formula in Albanian: “Un te pagezonj pr’emen’t Atit e t’birit e t’shpirtit shenjt.” In modern Albanian, this means: “I baptise you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.”

Parliament Speaker Niko Peleshi also marked the anniversary today. He highlighted the document’s importance to Albania’s national identity and called on citizens to protect their language and pass it on to future generations. “More than five centuries ago, these precious words entered history and left us a valuable legacy,” Peleshi said.

The document now rests at the Laurentian Library in Florence. Romanian historian Nicolae Iorga discovered it in 1915. Engjëlli, a close friend and adviser to national hero Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg, recorded the formula after visiting parish churches across the Archdiocese of Durrës.

During his visit, he assessed the Church’s organisation and the difficult conditions facing local communities. He also warned about the threats to the population. Consequently, he instructed priests and believers to baptise infants at risk of death using the Albanian formula. In addition, he appealed to the Holy See to support the region’s poor and vulnerable population.

Born around 1417 into the noble Engjëlli family of Drisht, Pal Engjëlli served as Archbishop of Durrës, diplomat and adviser to Skanderbeg. He died around 1469–1470. However, his contribution to Albanian history lives on through the Baptismal Formula, which preserves evidence of written Albanian in the 15th century.