Shtjefën Kurti (24 December 1898 – 20 October 1971) was an Albanian Roman Catholic priest killed during a period of communist persecution.

[1] Kurti served as a priest during a volatile period for his nation in which communist repression led to strict rules being imposed that prevented clerics from performing their duties.

Kurti was arrested for the final time when it had been alleged that he secretly baptized a child which was forbidden by the regime.

Kurti was beatified alongside other Martyrs of Albania killed during the communist repression on 5 November 2016 after their collective beatification was approved seven months prior.

[2] Kurti studied in Graz and Feldkirch as well as in Innsbruck and at Rome; the Jesuits oversaw his education at one stage.

[1] It was there that he wrote a memorandum to the League of Nations regarding the persecution of Catholic Albanian citizens in Kosovo which was dated on 5 May 1930.

Father Kurti would soon move on to serve as a priest in Shna Prendja (now Krujë) as well as in Gurës and Tirana.

[2] Father Kurti was executed (firing squad) on 20 October 1971 (according to another source: February 1972) though Vatican officials did not become aware of this until 1973 because it had been kept secret from the local authorities.

The cause commenced on 4 September 2002 after the Congregation for the Causes of Saints issued the edict of "nihil obstat" (nothing against) to the cause and titling the group as Servants of God which included Kurti.