Today, on January 25, 2025, His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania fell asleep in the Lord—a beacon of Orthodox faith, a pillar of wisdom, and an untiring laborer in the vineyard of Christ.
The unforgettable Archbishop Anastasios, with his prophetic spirit, God-inspired vision, and deep love for Christ and His Church, restored and elevated the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania. From the ruins left by the atheist regime, he raised the land as a magnificent temple of faith, hope, and love.
With tireless zeal and self-sacrificial service for more than three decades, Archbishop Anastasios, by the election, blessing, and efforts of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, laid and strengthened the foundations of ecclesial life, built hundreds of holy temples, revived pastoral ministry, established educational and philanthropic institutions, and nurtured a new, devoted clergy. He was a true apostle of love and a witness to the light of Christ in Albania and throughout the Orthodox world.
With his humility, wisdom, and expansive heart, Archbishop Anastasios was a true spiritual father to the Orthodox faithful in Albania.
May his memory be eternal and blessed in the Lord! May he rest in the light of the Resurrection and rejoice in the embrace of the One to Whom he dedicated everything
