John of albania celebrated his First name days As Archbishop

John of Albania celebrated his first name days as Archbishop, officiating on Friday, September 26, 2029 (the Church celebrates the death of John the Theologian) at the Resurrection Cathedral of Tirana.

The members of the Holy Synod of the Church of Albania, specifically Metropolitan of Apollonia and Fieri Nikolaos, Metropolitan of Elbasan Antonios, Metropolitan of Gjirokastër Nathanael and Bishop (elected Metropolitan of Korçë) Anastasios, as well as priests from the Metropolises of Albania, also officiated.

After the end of the divine service, he received heartfelt wishes from officials, representatives of other religions, and believers, mainly young people, along with bouquets of flowers.

In his festive letter to Archbishop John of Albania, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew emphasizes, among other things, that holidays in the Orthodox tradition are occasions to glorify the Triune God for His indescribable gifts to the world and to each of us. We do this today, sharing this joy among our brothers and sisters and drawing inspiration and strength from the ineffable divine charity for ministry and fruitfulness of faith with good works.

Also in his congratulatory letter, Pope Leo XIV wishes, among other things, to Mr. John: “May Almighty God generously bless you and your collaborators with spiritual gifts. I also hope, in imitation of the Apostle John, that your Beatitude and the entire Church of Albania will always have their gaze fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ and on the fullness of life and love that awaits us at his glorious return, as we continue to walk forward under his leadership. May the Holy Spirit guide us on the path to reconciliation and the full restoration of communion between our Churches.”

Archbishop Ioannis has been on the archiepiscopal throne of the Orthodox Church of Albania for a few months and during this time he has visited the Mother Church in the Phanar, while two new Metropolitans have been elected, Nathanael of Gjirokastër (successor to the late Metropolitan Demetrios) and Ioannis of Korçë (succeeding the Archbishop who held this office before his elevation).

He is a simple and noble man, with a well-structured theological education, with a spirit of cooperation and understanding, with pastoral and charitable work in the Metropolis of Korçë and inspired by the vision and experience of the unforgettable Archbishop Anastasios.