Am 16. März 2025 hat der Hl. Synod der Albanischen Orthodoxen Kirche (AOK) Metropolit Ioannis (Pelushi) von Korçë einstimmig zum neuen Oberhaupt der AOK gewählt. Der Metropolit folgt als Erzbischof von Tirana, Durrës und ganz Albanien auf Erzbischof Anastasios (Yannoulatos), der am 25. Januar 2025 im Alter von 95 Jahren verstorben ist. Seit Anastasios‘ Tod hatte Metropolit Ioannis bereits als Locum Tenens temporär die AOK geleitet. Nach seiner Wahl wurde in der Wiederauferstehungskathedrale in…

The Albanian Orthodox Church, together with guests from other Local Churches, commemorated the 40th day of the repose of His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios (Yannoulatos), who led the resurrection of the Albanian Church for more than 30 years. His Beatitude reposed in the Lord on January 25 at the age of 95. The memorial service in Tirana on Saturday March 1 was celebrated by hierarchs of the Albanian, Antiochian, Greek, and Constantinople Churches, reports the Union of Orthodox Journalists…

Erzbischof Anastasios (Yannoulatos), Oberhaupt der Albanischen Orthodoxen Kirche, ist am 25. Januar im Alter von 95 Jahren verstorben. Aus aller Welt trafen seither Beleidskundgebungen und Würdigungen des Verstorbenen ein. Patriarch Bartholomaios, Ehrenoberhaupt der Weltorthodoxie, bezeichnete Anastasios u.a. als „Erneuerer und Reformer“ der Kirche Albaniens: „Als das atheistische Regime in Albanien zusammenbrach, sandte ihn die Mutterkirche von Konstantinopel, um die Kirche Albaniens, die in T…

Erzbischof Anastasios (Yannoulatos), Oberhaupt der Albanischen Orthodoxen Kirche, ist ernsthaft erkrankt. Bereits seit dem 30. Dezember befand sich der 95-jährige Erzbischof wegen einer Virusinfektion in einem Krankenhaus in Tirana. Nachdem sich sein Gesundheitszustand verschlechterte, wurde er am 2. Januar mit einem Flugzeug der griechischen Luftwaffe von Tirana in das Evangelismos-Krankenhaus in Athen überstellt, wie das Infoportal OrthodoxTimes berichtete. Am 4. Januar teilte das Krankenhaus…

The Albanian Orthodox Church is shocked and disappointed by the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s choice for bishop for its Albanian Diocese of America. Late last month, it was reported that Archimandrite Theophan (Koja), a native Albanian, formerly a priest of the Orthodox Church in America’s Romanian Episcopate, was elected by the Constantinople Holy Synod to replace Metropolitan Ilia (Katre), reposed in the Lord in October. However, according to the Albanian Church, Fr. Theophan is a “divisiv…

As it has done several times over the past few years, the Albanian Orthodox Church is again urgently calling for a pan-Orthodox council to address issues of Church unity. In its statement issued on 11 March, the Holy Synod specifically mentions the ecclesiastical tragedies in Africa and Ukraine. The statement came out just a day after it became known that the Ukrainian state intends to completely expel the Ukrainian Orthodox Church from the Kiev Caves Lavra by the end of the month. Recall that…

The American online publishing platform Medium analysed the demographic decline in Albania’s Orthodox community. Albania is renowned for its religious variety, which includes a sizeable community of Orthodox Christians. By the beginning of the 20th century, 70% of Albanians were  Muslim, 20% Orthodox, and 10% Catholic. Yet, the 2011 census found that Albania’s Orthodox population had decreased to 6.75 per cent, a considerable drop from the 20 per cent reported in the 1927 census. Despite t…

Der Hl. Synod der Albanischen Orthodoxen Kirche (AOK) hat die Entscheidung des Ökumenischen Patriarchats, die eucharistische Gemeinschaft mit der Makedonischen Orthodoxen Kirche–Erzbistum Ohrid (MOK–EO) aufzunehmen, begrüßt und sich ihr angeschlossen. Im Kommuniqué zur Sitzung vom 23. Februar 2023 heißt es weiter, die AOK anerkenne „Ohrid“ als den Namen der MOK–EO. Das bedeute, dass die Jurisdiktion der MOK–EO auf das Gebiet des Staats Nordmakedonien beschränkt sei. Damit stellt sich die AOK i…

„Christ-Sein in den Gesellschaften Zentraleuropas“ – unter diesem Thema stand ein Treffen der Generalsekretäre von sechs katholischen Bischofskonferenzen in Mitteleuropa, das am 3. und 4. Oktober in Shkodra in Albanien stattgefunden hat. Eingeladen hatte zum bislang sechsten Treffen dieser Art der Generalsekretär der Albanischen Bischofskonferenz und Bischof von Rrëshen, Gjergj Meta. Eröffnet wurde die Begegnung von Erzbischof Angelo Massafra. Er leitet die Erzdiözese Shkodra-Pult und steht sei…

The Albanian Orthodox Church celebrated a major milestone yesterday, 30 years from the enthronement of His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios as the primate of the then-newly revived Church. The anniversary was celebrated with the Divine Liturgy at the Resurrection of Christ Cathedral in Tirana, with hierarchs, clergy, and faithful from throughout the country, reports the Albanian Church. In June, the Local Albanian Church also celebrated the anniversary of the Archbishop’s election to the primati…

“On June 24, 1992, His Beatitude Anastasios was elected Archbishop of our Church after the atheist darkness,” writes the press service of the Albanian Orthodox Church. The 30th anniversary of the Archbishop’s election was festively celebrated on Friday in the Church of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in Tirana. His Beatitude celebrated the Divine Liturgy together with His Grace Bishop Asti of Byllis and the clergy of the Archdiocese. Following the service, Bp. Asti thanked the Archbishop for…

The Resurrection of Christ Theological Academy, the highest theological institution of the Albanian Church, celebrated its 30th anniversary on February 7. The school is located in Durrës, a port city on the Adriatic Sea in western Albania. “Today we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Resurrection of Christ Theological Academy, to see the changes that have taken place during this time, to show what God has done over the years at the Resurrection of Christ Seminary and Theological Academy, whi…

Papst Franziskus hat den früheren Bootsflüchtling Arjan Dodaj (44) zum neuen Erzbischof von Tirana-Durres ernannt. Der bisherige Weihbischof in der albanischen Hauptstadt-Erzdiözese folgt auf Erzbischof George Anthony Frendo (75), dessen altersbedingter Amtsverzicht am 30. November angenommen wurde. Der neu ernannte Erzbischof Dodaj war als Jugendlicher Anfang der 1990er Jahre im Boot über das Mittelmeer aus Albanien geflohen. In Italien arbeitete er als Schweißer und Gärtner, bevor er Studien…

The right to vote is more than simply a right, but an obligation of responsible citizens, His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Albania preached on April 18. Referring to the general Parliamentary elections to be held on Sunday, April 25, the Archbishop reminded his flock of the Church’s guiding principles for involvement in the political life of the country. “We have emphasized since the first year that our Church does not deal with political parties, nor does it interfere in the political is…

According to an announcement from Evangelismos Hospital in Athens, His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Albania is being discharged and sent home today, after 12 days of hospitalization. The Archbishop will remain in quarantine at home following his discharge, reports Romfea. His Beatitude, 91, was hospitalized on November 11 after testing positive for COVID-19. After his first day in the ICU, he issued a hopeful statement, saying: “Throughout our lives we refer to the God of surprises but al…

His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Albania has tested positive for the coronavirus and is being transported to Athens for treatment. The Archbishop underwent relevant testing at a medical center in Tirana, and although his symptoms are mild, the doctors advised him to seek treatment in a specialized clinic in Greece, given his advanced age and chronic health problems, reports Romfea. The Archbishop is 91. He underwent an emergency angioplasty in late June. With the approval of Greek Prime…

In a text sent to the Albanian authorities, the nationalist group Children of Labëria calls for the removal of all Greek monuments, including the graves of Greek soldiers, busts, and memorial columns in Albania. Moreover, the group has set its sights on His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Albania, who is ethnically Greek, calling for his immediate deportation, reports tachydromos.org. Labëria is an historic region in southwestern Albania, bordering on Greece. The people there are culturally…

Für sein Engagement für Frieden und Verständigung ist Erzbischof Anastasios (Yannoulatos) von Albanien mit dem Klaus Hemmerle-Preis ausgezeichnet worden. In seiner Dankesrede bei der Verleihung des Preises am 14. Februar im Dom von Aachen plädierte er für eine „friedvolle Koexistenz in einer multi-religiösen Welt“. Der Bischof von Aachen, Dr. Helmut Dieser, lobte Anastasios als einen „Wegbereiter des Glaubens und der Ökumene“.

Despite the financial crisis, the Albanian Orthodox Church spares no expense in restoring its churches that have been in ruins since the persecution of the faith under the communist government last century. According to a report from the Albanian Church, 63 churches and monasteries were fully restored between 1991 and 2019, in addition to the dozens of new churches that were constructed, not always under easy conditions, and at a price tag of $10.8 million (10 million euros), according to a rep…

Nach dem schweren Erdbeben vom 26. November in Albanien leisten lokale Kirchen und Religionsgemeinschaften den Betroffenen Hilfe. So versucht die Caritas Albanien mit Unterstützung der italienischen Caritas materielle Hilfe für die Betroffenen bereitzustellen und eine erste Schätzung der Schäden in der betroffenen Region durchzuführen. Laut Antonio Leuci, dem Direktor der albanischen Caritas, sind besonders die Städte Durrës und Thumane betroffen, aber auch in einer ganzen Reihe kleinerer Städt…