shantoja was born on july 7, 1891 (although some biographers mention also september 2, 1892 as birthday) in shkodër, scutari vilayet, then ottoman empire, son of kel shantoja and luçe blinishti. in his manuscript "shantojana - history of the shantoja family" he writes that his family originates from "vjerdha e vjetër", a settlement close to rragam, in the shkodër county. shantoja pursued elementary and high school studies at the albanian pontifical seminary in shkodër, and then, during 1912 - 1914, was in innsbruck, austria-hungary, to pursue university level theological studies. his austrian professors wrote in his graduation certificate that he was a "very talented" seminarist.