The Anniversary of the Canonical Restoration of Albanian Orthodox Church Celebrated

Thoma Dhima – June 2013

21 years ago, His Beatitude, Prof. Dr. Anastasi, was elected as Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and all Albania.

Monday, June 24, on the feast of the Holy Spirit and Nativity of St. John the Baptist, at the new Cathedral “Resurrection of Christ in Tirana”, was also celebrated the 21-th anniversary of the election of the Archbishop Anastasios. The liturgy was attended by representatives’ clergy and laics from all the Metropolises. This day marked the first anniversary of the brilliant inauguration of the magnificent new Cathedral.

In the Divine Liturgy conducted by Archbishop Anastasios, was concelebrating as well the Metropolitan John of Korça, the Metropolitan Demetrius of Gjirokastra, Bishop of Apollonia Nicholas, Bishop of Kruja Anthony, Bishop of Amantia Nathanael and the Bishop of Bylis, Asti. Part of the clergy was also 16 orthodox priests and two deacons.

At the end of the liturgy, Archbishop Anastasios addressed the believers his speech, talking to them about the feast and the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The Archbishop was focused especially on the difficult path, but filled with tremendous success, in which our Church went since the freedom of religion. This emphasis is necessary because young people as well need to know about these difficulties. His Beatitude was focused also on the attacks and the pressure that our Church and all the Orthodox community is facing, and invited everyone not to worry about the present and especially the future. God hasn’t abandoned us so far and wouldn’t do so even in the future. When we say “Lord, o Lord, look down from heaven”, we say exactly this because it is His vineyard and He has to take care about it. Archbishop spoke to the audience also for a great effort being conducted by the Church, for a deed that will contribute to the generation of incomes and together with other things will help for the economic independence, which gives the full meaning to the autocephaly.

Afterwards, on behalf of the members of the Holy Synod and of the clergy, His Eminence John, the Bishop of Korça, greeted by saying: “We have to first thank the people through whom God made this deed possible. Undoubtedly the central person of this deed is Archbishop Anastasios and on behalf of the clergy who are present in this liturgy and those who are not present, I would like to wish Archbishop long life, that God gives him strength and good health, for the glory of God and for the good of our Church.”

Archbishop received congratulations and bunches of flowers from believers as well and after the Liturgy he made a warm conversation with a group of them in the environments of the new Cathedral.

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