On September 14, 2025, a solemn service was held at the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Tirana to celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, one of the major feasts in the Orthodox calendar. According to the Albanian Church's website, the Divine Liturgy was led by Archbishop John of Tirana, Durrës, and all Albania, alongside other hierarchs and clergy.

In his sermon, the archbishop emphasized that the Cross is not merely a symbol of suffering and death but, above all, "a sign of Divine love, the root of hope, and a bridge leading to the Resurrection." He noted that Orthodox Christians do not worship pain but rather the victory over it, not loss but the triumph of eternal life in Christ.

Archbishop John paid special attention to the "transhistorical" nature of the feast: "Everything related to God transcends history. The Cross is a reminder that salvation comes not through human strength and temporary glory, but through humility, obedience, and the boundless love of Christ."

During the liturgy, the rite of the Exaltation of the Cross was performed, with the Cross adorned with flowers and basil—an herb that, according to tradition, grew at the site where the Life-Giving Cross was discovered by Saint Helen, the Equal-to-the-Apostles, in the 4th century. At the conclusion of the service, the faithful were given blessed branches of basil as a symbol of spiritual renewal and a reminder of the feast.

Archbishop John reminded the congregation that in the face of modern challenges, the Cross remains a source of hope and strength for all generations of believers, and the Church in Albania continues to bear witness to faith, love, and the resurrection of Christ.