Commemorative events marking one year since the death of Archbishop Anastasios of Albania were held at the European Parliament, honoring the hierarch who played a decisive role in the revival of the Orthodox Church in the country after the fall of the communist regime. The keynote address was delivered by his successor, Archbishop John of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania.

According to the press service of the Albanian Orthodox Church, Archbishop John recalled in his speech that in 1967 Albania became the first country in the world to officially declare itself an atheist state. Religious communities were outlawed, churches were destroyed or closed, and clergy were persecuted. By the early 1990s, he noted, the Orthodox Church in Albania had effectively ceased to exist.

Following the restoration of religious freedom in 1991, Archbishop Anastasios was sent to Albania by the Ecumenical Patriarchate to rebuild church life. Over the following decades, Archbishop John said, approximately 150 new Orthodox churches were built across the country, dozens of historic churches and monasteries were restored, and a system of theological education and social outreach was established.

A significant part of the address focused on interreligious dialogue. Albania remains a country with a Muslim majority, while Orthodox Christians and Catholics have traditionally played an important role in public life. Archbishop John подчеркнул that Albania’s model of peaceful coexistence among religious communities could serve as an example for other European countries. He recalled the words of Archbishop Anastasios, who stressed that “faith should not become a source of conflict, but is called to heal the wounds of society.”

During his visit to Brussels, Archbishop John also held meetings with representatives of European Union institutions. Discussions focused on Albania’s European integration, the protection of the rights of religious communities, and unresolved issues, including the restitution of church property.