aries , ▁beginning ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁century , ▁when ▁per sec ution ▁by ▁Ott oman ▁Turkish ▁l ords ▁in ▁Alban ia ▁started ▁to ▁result ▁in ▁the ▁conversion ▁of ▁many ▁villages ▁to ▁the ▁Islam ic ▁faith . ▁ ▁The ▁College ▁of ▁Pro pag anda ▁at ▁Rome ▁played ▁a ▁significant ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁religious ▁and ▁moral ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁Alban ian ▁C athol ics . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁and ▁ 1 8 th ▁centuries , ▁the ▁College ▁contributed ▁in ▁educ ating ▁young ▁cler ics ▁appointed ▁to ▁service ▁on ▁Alban ian ▁miss ions , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁to ▁the ▁financial ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁churches . ▁Work ▁was ▁done ▁by ▁the ▁Aust rian ▁Government ▁at ▁the ▁time , ▁which ▁offered ▁significant ▁financial ▁aid ▁in ▁its ▁role ▁as ▁Prote ctor ▁of ▁the ▁Christian ▁community ▁under ▁Ott oman ▁rule . ▁ ▁Church ▁legisl ation ▁of ▁the ▁Alban ians ▁was ▁reform ed ▁by ▁Clement ▁XI , ▁who ▁conv oked ▁a ▁general ▁ecc les iast ical ▁visit ation , ▁held ▁in ▁ 1 7 6 3 ▁by ▁the ▁Arch bishop ▁of ▁Ant ivari , ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁which ▁a ▁national ▁syn od ▁was ▁held . ▁The ▁decre es ▁form ulated ▁by ▁the ▁Syn od ▁were ▁printed ▁by ▁the ▁College ▁of ▁Pro pag anda ▁in ▁ 1 7 0 5 , ▁and ▁renew ed ▁in ▁ 1 8 0 3 . ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 2 , ▁P ius ▁IX ▁conv oked ▁a ▁second ▁national ▁syn od ▁at ▁Sh k od