Archbishop Anastasios of Albania was prayerfully remembered on Sunday at the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Tirana, one year after his passing.
The memorial service was led by the Primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church, Archbishop John, together with members of the Holy Synod.
Archbishop John stressed that the annual commemoration is a spiritual necessity — an opportunity to pause, reflect, and give thanks to God for all that has been received.
“The remembrance of Archbishop Anastasios of blessed memory is not a nostalgic return to the past, but a conscious choice to keep alive the legacy he entrusted to us,” Archbishop John said.
Following the Divine Liturgy, a Trisagion service was also held in the crypt where the former Primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church is buried.
Archbishop Anastasios Yannoulatos
His Beatitude Anastasios Yannoulatos was born on 4 November 1929 in Piraeus, Greece.
He led the Orthodox Church of Albania from 1992, during a critical period of post-communist reconstruction. Under his leadership, religious life in Albania was substantially reorganised, with theological seminaries established and wide-ranging social programmes launched, leaving a significant impact on Albanian society.
Before becoming Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania, he pursued a distinguished academic career as Professor Emeritus of the History of Religions at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
Archbishop Anastasios passed away on 25 January 2025 at the age of 95.
Following his death, Metropolitan John Pelushi of Korçë was elected Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania.
Photo: Church of Albania
