John of Albania: Today is a historic day for the Church of Albaniatranslated

Today, August 2, marks 34 years since the enthronement of the blessed Archbishop Anastasios as Primate of the Orthodox Church of Albania, a landmark event for the revival of Orthodoxy in the country. Addressing the faithful today, His Beatitude Archbishop of Albania Mr. John said: "Today is a historic day for our Church. Thirty-four years ago, blessed Archbishop Anastasios was enthroned as Archbishop of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania. We will always remember him with gratitude and thanksgiving."

The path of blessed Anastasios of Albania His journey began in January 1991, when as Patriarchal Exarch he undertook the mission to restore a Church completely disintegrated by the harshest atheistic persecution worldwide. He arrived in a land where the temples were in ruins and the clergy almost non-existent, his first words becoming the watchword of rebirth: "Krishti u Ngjall!" ("Christ is Risen!")

His election as Archbishop on June 24, 1992 caused an intense political crisis, as the Albanian government, although it respected him, rejected the establishment of a Holy Synod exclusively by...