Archbishop John of Tirana, the Primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church, delivered a sermon on repentance, freedom, and personal responsibility during a divine liturgy at the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Tirana on Sunday, February 8, 2026. The service coincided with the Orthodox commemoration of the Gospel parable of the Prodigal Son, Radio Ngjallja reported.

Addressing the faithful, Archbishop John emphasized the universal meaning of the parable, noting that it speaks not only to religious life but to the human condition as a whole. The “departure to a distant country” described in the Gospel, he said, symbolizes a person’s break with God and the loss of true life guidance.

The archbishop stressed that freedom without responsibility does not lead to genuine independence but instead becomes a new form of dependence and inner enslavement. True freedom, he noted, is possible only when a person recognizes the limits of their actions and returns to the spiritual foundations of life.

Particular attention in the sermon was given to the moment when the young man in the parable “comes to himself,” which Archbishop John described as a key phrase in the Gospel narrative. According to him, awareness of one’s true condition marks the beginning of authentic repentance, which is expressed not merely in emotions but in a real change of life.

Reflecting on the figure of the father in the parable, Archbishop John said that he is the central image of the story, embodying God’s unconditional love and mercy. Divine forgiveness, the archbishop подчеркнул, goes beyond human concepts of justice and is founded прежде всего on love.

Concluding his sermon, the Primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church urged believers to use the period of preparation for Great Lent as a time for inner renewal, a return to life’s meaning, and spiritual growth. He reminded the faithful that, according to Christian teaching, the path of repentance always remains open to every person.