Albanian Orthodox Church

Romanian Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop, Albanian ambassador discuss closer cooperation

Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploiești met on Tuesday with Albania’s Ambassador to Romania, Enkeleda Mërkuri, at the Patriarchal Palace in Bucharest. During the meeting, the two sides discussed opportunities for academic and spiritual cooperation between the Romanian Orthodox Church and the Albanian Orthodox Church. The Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop recalled Romania’s significant contribution to the…

Jul 29, 2026Aurelian Iftimiu

Metropolitan Joan of Korçë elected new Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania

The Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Albania has elected Metropolitan Joan (Pelushi) of Korçë as the new Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania. The election process took place on Sunday in Tirana following the Divine Liturgy. Metropolitan Joan is regarded as the spiritual son of the late Archbishop Anastasios and is expected…

Mar 17, 2025Aurelian Iftimiu

Holy Synod secretary meets with new Albanian Ambassador to Romania

His Grace Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploiești, the secretary of the Holy Synod, received Her Excellency Mrs Enkeleda Merkuri, the new Ambassador of the Republic of Albania to Bucharest, on a courtesy visit at the Patriarchal Palace on Wednesday, July 17. His Grace Bishop Varlaam welcomed Her Excellency to the Romanian Patriarchate and highlighted…

Jul 17, 2024Aurelian Iftimiu

6.75% of Albania’s population is still Orthodox: An analysis of demographic decline

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…

Mar 14, 2023Aurelian Iftimiu

Church of Albania’s revival: Over 60 churches restored in 28 years

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…

Feb 28, 2020Gheorghe Anghel

His Beatitude Albanian Arch. Anastasios celebrates his name day

The current primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church celebrates Wednesday, 22 January 2020, his name day. Monkmartyr Anastasius the Persian is the spiritual protector of His Beatitude Arch. Anastasios. His Beatitude Arch. Anastasios of Tirana, Durres and All Albania, was born on November 4, 1929, in Piraeus, Greece. Archbishop Anastasios (Yannoulatos) Professor of History of…

Jan 22, 2020Iulian Dumitraşcu

Albanian Orthodox Church continues relief efforts for quake-stricken in the country

More than 170 earthquake victims have been hosted by the Orthodox Monastery of St. Vlash (St. Blaise), in the Durres district of central coastal Albania, since a devastating quake struck the area on Nov. 26, 2019, Orthodoxia News Agency reports. The shelter is part of a wide-ranging initiative announced by the Archbishop of Tirana and…

Jan 9, 2020Iulian Dumitraşcu

Durrës Theological Academy, one of the most modern schools in Albania

The St. Vlasius Theological Academy in Durrës is one of the most modern schools in Albania, Orthodox Times informs. Archbishop Anastasios opened the school, which started operating as a seminar in 1992. Its main aim is to become a nursery for priests. Initially, a hotel was the first building to house the academy when 45…

Oct 29, 2019Gheorghe Anghel

Archbishop of Albania re-elected honorary president of Religions for Peace International

The worldwide religious community recognizes the role of the Archbishop Anastasios of the Albanian Orthodox Church in guaranteeing international peace, Romfea News reports. Archbishop Anastasios is a pioneer in the peaceful coexistence of religious communities in Albania, thereby contributing to social cohesion. He was recently re-elected honorary president of the Religions for Peace International, which…

Sep 9, 2019Gheorghe Anghel

His Beatitude Albanian Arch. Anastasios celebrates 27 Years since his election as head of the Albanian Orthodox Church

The current primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church celebrates Monday 27 Years since his election as head of the Albanian Orthodox Church. His Beatitude Arch. Anastasios of Tirana, Durres and All Albania, was born on November 4, 1929, in Piraeus, Greece. Archbishop Anastasios (Yannoulatos) Professor of History of Religions (1972-92) and Dean of the Theological Faculty…

Jun 24, 2019Iulian Dumitraşcu

Good deed: Albanian Church blesses newly-opened center for elderly

A center for the elderly was recently opened under the auspices of the Albanian Orthodox Church on Mach 19, and this past Sunday, on the occasion of the 26th anniversary of the election of His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios to the Albanian primatial throne, the center was festively blessed by a hierarch of the Church, Orthochristian…

Jun 28, 2018Gheorghe Anghel