Source: Orthodox Christian Mission Center Metropolitan Joan of Korçë to be enthroned March 29 On March 16, 2025, the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania elected Metropolitan Joan of Korçë as the new Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania, with his enthronement scheduled for March 29, 2025. This significant event marks a new chapter for the Orthodox Church of Albania following the profound legacy of His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios, of blessed memory. Archbishop-elect Joan, a native of Tirana who served alongside Archbishop Anastasios for over 30 years in Albania, is celebrated for his deep commitment to…
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Source: Orthodox Christian Mission Center On Thursday, January 30, Fr. Martin Ritsi, Executive Director of the Orthodox Christian Mission Center, led a delegation of Mission Center Board, staff, and missionaries at the funeral service commemorating the life and falling asleep of His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania at the Holy Resurrection Cathedral in Tirana, Albania. Fr. Martin––together with Board member and former missionary, Fr. Luke Veronis, and Assistant Missionary Director, Rev. Dr. Stephanos Ritsi––participated in the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, Funeral, and Interment services with Orthodox clergy from throughout the world. His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew,…
Source: Peter Anderson, Seattle USA The Liturgy and Funeral Service for Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durrës and all Albania, primate of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania, was held on January 30 in the Cathedral of the Resurrection in Tirana. The entire Liturgy and Funeral Service can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs02Sn76bxE . Six primates of the Local Orthodox Churches were present: Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew (Ecumenical Patriarchate); Patriarch Theodoros (Patriarchate of Alexandria); Patriarch Theophilos (Patriarchate of Jerusalem); Patriarch Daniil (Patriarchate of Bulgaria); Archbishop George (Church of Cyprus); and Archbishop Ieronymos (Church of Greece). The Moscow Patriarchate was represented by Metropolitan Anthony of…
Source: The National Herald HIMARA – The imprisoned mayor of the town of Himara in Albania, Fredi Beleri, who is of Greek descent, expressed his warm gratitude to Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durres, and all Albania for the visit he made to the prison to converse with him. Archbishop Anastasios, who had requested permission from the Albanian authorities sometime earlier, received the ‘green light’ to visit Beleri. They had a particularly constructive conversation, and the Archbishop presented Beleri with an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, in a deeply symbolic gesture, given the difficult period he is experiencing in a…
Source: Union of Orthodox Journalists (UOJ) Author: Elena Yufereva Representatives of the Albanian Church propose to discuss the “Ukrainian issue” and ensure the unity of Orthodoxy throughout the world. The Albanian Orthodox Church calls for an All-Orthodox Council to be convened, reports romfea.gr. “As the unprecedented distress of Orthodoxy in Ukraine intensifies and the unspeakable suffering of the Orthodox faithful reaches a climax, an Ecumenical Orthodox Council, which is known to be convened by the Ecumenical Patriarch and acts even if some Local Churches are absent, as was the case with the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church in Crete in…
Source: Peter Anderson, Seattle USA The Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Albania on February 24 issued a communique relating to the Orthodox church in North Macedonia. https://orthodoxalbania.org/2020/en/2023/02/24/communique-the-holy-synod-orthodox-autocephalous-church-of-albania/ The official English translation is as follows: The Holy Synod of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania, during her session of February 23, 2023, under the presidency of His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios, reiterated that she gladly welcomes the decision of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, of last May 2022, that “She accepts into Eucharistic communion the Hierarchy, the clergy, and laity of the Church under Archbishop Stefan… She recognizes as…
Source: Orthodox Times By Efi Efthimiou Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albania drew a parallel of the decision of the Ecumenical Patriarchate to grant the Tomos of Autocephaly to the Church of Ukraine with the illegal intrusion of the Russian Orthodox Church in the boundaries of the Patriarchate of Alexandria. In an article published today by the head of the Church of Albania, Archbishop Anastasios does not condemn the decision of the Moscow Patriarchate to establish an “Exarchate of Africa” with the acquisition of more than 100 clergymen of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, but on the contrary, “justifies” this decision as…
Source: Orthodox Christian Mission Center by Archbishop Anastasios of Albania We are all astounded, as if a new World War has been declared by an invisible enemy, the Coronavirus. We are all standing uneasily before the unforeseen changes, brought about by this unprecedented pandemic, to the life of the rich and poor, to the educated and simple people, to health, to the economy, to transportation, to the various forms of leisure, and to celebrations. It behooves us to avoid panic, depression, and despair. Composure, sobriety, and careful concern and discipline towards the instructions and health directives of the responsible governments…
Source: Orthodox Synaxis Archbishop Anastasios of AlbaniaGreek source here. On Tuesday, November 26, 2019 (the day of the great earthquake in Durres, Albania) a report by Mr. Antonis Triantafyllou was published in your newspaper with the title “Anastasios’ Intervention in Favor of Moscow.” This is a malicious distortion of my views, intentions and proposals with regard to a sensitive and critical issue that concerns worldwide Orthodoxy. Its subtitle, “The Archbishop of Albania has again called for a Pan-Orthodox Council (the constant request of Kirill) for examining the Ukrainian issue,” as well as what is mentioned in the report, attempts to…
Source: Orthodox Christianity Kiev – Patriarch Bartholomew’s relations with the primates of the Local Orthodox Churches around the world have turned tense thanks to the Ukrainian issue, says His Grace Bishop Victor of Baryshev, the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s representative to European international organizations. In particular, things have turned sour between the Phanar and His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Albania and His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus. The former has even received insulting letters from hierarchs in the Patriarchate of Constantinople because of his position on the Ukrainian crisis, Bp. Victor said on the program “Right to Faith” on the First…
Source: Byzantine, TX Ecclesiastically, Christians in Albania, as part of the province of Illyricum, were under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome (1st-8th century). From 732-733 AD the ecclesiatical jurisdiction of Illyricum was transferred to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. It declared its autocephaly in 1922 through its Congress of 1922, and gained recognition from the Patriarch of Constantinople in 1937. The church suffered during the Second World War, and in the communist period that followed, especially after 1967 when Albania was declared an atheist state, and no public or private expression of religion was allowed. The church has,…
Source: Orthodox Synaxis This English translation of the Greek letter is republished from the official website of the Albanian Orthodox Church, here. All emphases are in the original. In this remarkable letter, whilst showing profound respect and reverence for the office and person of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, Archbishop Anastasios of Albania and his Synod present a detailed rebuttal of historical precedents cited by Constantinople to justify their intervention in Ukraine and emphasize the importance of convening a pan Orthodox meeting to heal the divisions that these actions have opened up. On the Ukrainian Ecclesiastical Question. 2nd Reply. Speaking the Truth in Love…