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Durrës celebrated the patron saint of Agios Astiostranslated

July 6, 2026 · 1 min read

In the central church of the city of Dyrrachium, which is dedicated to the Apostle Paul and Saint Astios, the first martyred bishop and patron of the city, the feast of Saint Astios was celebrated with joy. The celebration of this day acquired special significance, as the Holy Masses, the Orthros and the Divine Liturgy were performed by His Beatitude the Archbishop of Albania, Mr. Ioannis, who collaborated with the Theophilist Bishop of Amantia, Mr. Ignatios, as well as with clerics from Durres and Tirana.

In his sermon, Archbishop Ioannis referred to the life and example of Saint Asti, stressing that the martyrs are the foundation on which the Church was built. He reminded the faithful that their blood was the seed for the spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire and that their resistance to persecution testified to the power of faith in Christ.

Speaking about the life of Agios Asti, Archbishop Ioannis reminded the faithful that the Bishop of Dyrrachium, according to tradition, played a decisive role in the spread of the Gospel in the lands of Illyria.

Having been prophetically warned of his martyrdom,…

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Dhimitër Thanasi

Thank you for reminding us of Άγιο Άστιο, the first bishop of Δυρραχίου. I was impressed that Αρχιεπισκοπος Ioannis said that the blood of the martyrs was the seed for the Church throughout Greece. Let us ask him to help us keep our faith like he did.

Andrei Constantinescu

Thanks for the article. I remembered what Archbishop John said, that the blood of the martyrs was the seed that grew Christianity throughout Illyria. May Saint Astie help us to keep the right faith, especially now when there is so much confusion around.

Eleni Prifti

Thank you too, Dhimitare, who mentioned exactly this piece for the blood seed of martyrs in Greece. It was very special to me that Archbishop Ioannis spoke about the prophetic warning that Αγιος Άστιος had before his death. Let's ask him together to give us comfort in the little trials we encounter every day.

Teuta Nako

Yes, Eleni, I was also touched by that part of the prophetic warning that the Archbishop mentioned. It makes me think how little we are ready today for those "small tests" they say, such as a day without water in the hospital or a fight at home. Do you have a specific moment that reminds you of this when you pray for St. Asti?

Elena Nako

Yes, Teuta, that prophetic warning stays in my mind too - every time I pray for Saint Asti, I remember the day when the water broke in the Gjirokastra hospital and I was nervous for an hour and a half with the little child in my arms. It does us good to see how small our "evidence" is. Do you have any such cases from Tirana or Durrës?