On June 24, 1992, the Ecumenical Patriarchate elected Metropolitan Anastasios as the first Archbishop after the establishment of democracy.
This election could also be considered as a re-recognition and renewal of the Autocephaly of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania, which had been called into question after the complete destruction suffered by our Church by the communist regime.
This event was also the proclamation of the good news that the church Of albania Was alive and full of life and could continue to carry out its spiritual work with the light of god And for the benefit of the entire albanian society.
Archbishop Anastasios arrived in Albania in July 1991, as Patriarchal Exarch, to see what was left behind the atheist ruins.
Very quickly, His Beatitude became a beloved and respected name for our Church, while he had long enjoyed special esteem from all the Orthodox Churches in the wider world.
His name not only became synonymous with the resurrection of the Church in Albania, but he was considered a missionary in modern times, a pioneer of dialogue between different religions and cultures, peace and love for all, care for the poorest and people in need, and respect for the freedom and dignity of every person, whatever that may be.
Our Church had suffered greatly from the long course of the Ottoman occupation. After the country's Independence, it was only free to develop normally for two years, after the proclamation of Autocephaly, because the fascist occupation and the atheistic communist persecution followed.
Thus, the first years of the republic found it completely destroyed, without a single bishop and with only 15 clergymen in their deep old age. It was hard to be optimistic about the future.
But, what seems impossible for people, is possible for God, who sent a man who managed to do what is called the miracle of the Orthodox Church of Albania.
The case of our country is unique in world history. It is the first time that a Church has been without its hierarchy. To resolve this vital and delicate issue, an international initiative was definitely required.
It was required that the one who would lead our Church in its reconstruction from the ruins be accepted by the Orthodox Community, by the authorities of the state, and that Autocephaly be maintained.
And Archbishop Anastasios achieved all of this and more.
His enormous efforts, from the very first days, for the education of the Orthodox clergy in the country, initially by renting a space on the beach of Durres and then by building the Theological Academy in Agios Vlasis, which was built with funds that he himself collected, constitute decisive efforts for the consolidation of the independence of our Church.
The resurrection of the Church required the establishment of an ecclesiastical hierarchy, the training of suitable cadres who would govern the Church, the training of clergy and theologians and, above all, the reestablishment of economic autocephaly, since the majority of the properties that were seized were not returned.
Over 150 local priests, hundreds of buildings and administrative centers, new or reconstructed, dozens of restored temples - cultural monuments, an intact educational and social welfare system that did not exist before, the reconstruction from the non-existence of the ecclesiastical economy, are just some of these miracles.
This entire work was recognized, not only by Orthodox believers, but by the entire Albanian society.
The then President of Albania, Ilir Meta, on the occasion of the granting of Albanian citizenship, in his letter to Archbishop Anastasios, would write, among other things:
«Επί 25 χρόνια ως Αρχιεπίσκοπος, Τιράνων, Δυρραχίου και Πάσης Αλβανίας, συνεισφέροντας με αφιέρωση για την πλήρη κανονική και πνευματική ανασύσταση της Ορθόδοξης Αυτοκέφαλης Εκκλησίας της Αλβανίας, στην ανασύσταση και ανασυγκρότηση των κτιρίων της ορθόδοξης πίστης, στην ανάσταση, καλλιέργεια και διαφύλαξη της παράδοσης πολλών αιώνων της ορθόδοξης πίστης στην Αλβανία και την κατασκευή έργων στον τομέα της εκπαίδευσης, υγείας, κοινωνικής πρόνοιας, αγροτικής ανάπτυξης, πολιτισμού και περιβάλλοντος στην Αλβανία, έχετε αποδείξει ότι καθοδηγείστε από την πίστη, την αγάπη, την ειρήνη, την ελπίδα και τα ιερά έργα και διδάγματα του Θεού…»
πόσο ωραία να διαβάζεις για στιγμές που άλλαξαν τα πράγματα προς το καλύτερο. σημαντική εξέλιξη για την αλβανία.
Ora poios leei auto itan kali idea? Emas stin xora mas den mas arese afti i epilogi tote katholou.
kala auti i albania eixe xathei teleios meta tin katastrofi pou eixe pathei apo to tote poy phge o anastasios allaksan polla
Αυτά γίνονται κάθε τόσο. Μια νέα αρχή υποτίθεται, μετά πάλι τα ίδια. Ποιος θυμάται πραγματικά τι άλλαξε;
Ναι, καλά… “παγκόσμια αναγνώριση”, έτσι; Όλοι θυμόμαστε πώς ήταν τα πράγματα εκεί τότε. Άλλαξαν και πολύ τώρα, σωστά;
ρε φίλε, πόσο σημαντικό ήταν αυτό για τους εκεί! σκέψου να ξεκινάς κάτι από το μηδέν και να το φτάνεις τόσο ψηλά.
πόσο σημαντική στιγμή ήταν αυτή για την περιοχή. ένας δύσκολος δρόμος που τελικά έφερε πολλά καλά.
re pou les den to iksera auto gia ton anastasio stin albania to 92 kala ekane megalh douleia ekei pragmatika
Η τοποθέτηση του προκαθημένου το ’92 στην Αλβανία ήταν διπλωματικό επίτευγμα. Στρατηγική κίνηση με διεθνή απήχηση, καθοριστική για την περιφερειακή σταθερότητα.
Και καλά, αλλαξε την πορία. Αλλά ποιός ωφελήθηκε πραγματικά απ’ αυτή την επιλογή; Τα συμφέροντα πάντα κρυφά.