Archbishop of Albania Anastasios speaks about Church’s restoration in the country; interview to Orthodoxia News Agency

A special interview granted by the Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania, His Beatitude Anastasios, to the Orthodoxia news agency and journalist Maria Giachnaki is posted today on the agency’s website, with the interview coming days after a devastating earthquake that struck central coastal Albania.

His Beatitude Anastasios refers to his missionary work in Africa and his even more difficult task in helping restore the Orthodox Church in Albania, amid a then hostile environment due to nearly two and a half decades of an official ban on religion, imposed in 1967 by a brutal communist dictatorship ruling the country.

All places of worship were confiscated by the state in Albania, while all forms of religious observances, symbols and literature were strictly forbidden.

Anastasios relates the Church’s struggle to restore its cathedrals and chapels, to open new roads, hospitals and schools, and to heal the physical and spiritual pain of the people.

The entire interview, in Greek, as well as a special focus on Orthodoxy in Albania, is posted on the pages of the Orthodoxia news agency as of today.

Still in the southeast European country, Albanian President Ilir Meta on Christmas Day received a special gift from the Primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church.

The Archbishop gifted the Albanian head of state the first edition of the album “Colors of Orthodoxy”, which details the values and the resurgence of the Albanian Orthodox Church.

On his part, Meta noted that “… I am happy that on this special day, I received as a gift, from Archbishop Anastasios, the first edition of Colors of Orthodoxy.”

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