On Easter Sunday, Albanian Cardinal Ernest Simoni ascended the altar of St. Peter's Basilica together with Pope Francis for the Urbi et Orbi blessing. 

This is an achievement for the 94-year-old cardinal, who has been living in Florence for years, after constant persecution by the communist regime. Being at the side of the Holy Father, Cardinal Ernest Simoni called it an indescribable joy. 

Not only for him but for all Albanians. Especially - he said - for those who during the dictatorship period faced the constant hatred of the system as well as imprisonment and torture. 

In an article dedicated to him, the Italian newspaper LaNazione writes that Cardinal Ernest Simoni remains one of the examples of the strength of faith as he was able to resist persecution despite the destruction of all the churches. 

The elderly Albanian prelate Ernest Simoni was imprisoned from 1963 to 1991, but despite 28 years in prison he did not lose his faith.