▁to ▁the ▁Alban ian ▁national ist ▁cause . ▁When ▁a ▁Greek ▁Orth odox ▁priest ▁refused ▁to ▁perform ▁the ▁bur ial ▁r ites ▁for ▁Krist a q ▁D ish nica , ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Orth odox ▁Alban ian ▁community ▁from ▁Hudson , ▁Massachusetts , ▁because ▁of ▁his ▁national ist ▁activities , ▁N oli ▁and ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁Alban ian ▁national ists ▁in ▁New ▁England ▁created ▁the ▁independent ▁Alban ian ▁Orth odox ▁Church . ▁N oli , ▁the ▁new ▁church ' s ▁first ▁cl erg yman , ▁was ▁ord ained ▁as ▁a ▁priest ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 8 ▁by ▁Arch bishop ▁Pl aton ▁( R oz h dest vens ky ) ▁of ▁the ▁Russian ▁Church ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁under ▁question able ▁circumstances . ▁Through ▁the ▁creation ▁of ▁an ▁independent ▁church ▁and ▁N oli ▁transl ating ▁lit ur gy ▁into ▁Alban ian , ▁he ▁hoped ▁to ▁dimin ish ▁Greek ▁influence ▁in ▁the ▁church ▁and ▁counter ▁Greek ▁ir red ent ism . ▁N oli ▁was ▁a ▁supp orter ▁of ▁Alban ian ▁unity ▁trans c ending ▁Muslim ▁and ▁Christian ▁relig ions ▁and ▁considered ▁it ▁important ▁for ▁those ▁faith s ▁to ▁be ▁pract iced ▁in ▁Alban ian ▁and ▁staff ed ▁by ▁local ▁Alban ian ▁cler gy ▁and ▁not ▁foreign ers . ▁ ▁Political ▁and ▁Relig ious ▁activities ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 0 8 , ▁N oli ▁began ▁studying ▁at ▁Harvard , ▁comple ting ▁his ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Arts ▁degree ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 2 . ▁During ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 2 ▁V atra