Archbishop Anastasios, the Primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church, passed away on Saturday morning at the age of 95, according to a statement published on the official website of the Albanian Orthodox Church.
His Beatitude had been hospitalized in Tirana on January 3 due to a viral infection and was later transferred to Athens.
“The Archbishop fell asleep in the Lord today, January 25, 2025, at 8:30 AM, at the Evangelismos Hospital in Athens, due to multiple organ failure. Prior to this, he had been treated for several days at Hygeia Hospital in Tirana,” reads the statement issued by the Albanian Orthodox Church.
Aware of his precarious health condition, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania recently sent a message to the Archbishop of Tirana, Durres, and All Albania, assuring him of the Romanian Orthodox Church’s prayers for his full recovery, as well as the prayers of the clergy and faithful.
Archbishop Anastasios: A Restorer and Visionary Leader
His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios was the restorer and reviver of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania, which he entirely rebuilt from the ruins left by the atheistic regime.
With a God-given vision and tireless effort, he reconstructed the Church from its very foundations, building hundreds of churches, founding educational and charitable institutions, and training a new generation of clergy. His uninterrupted and sacrificial service spanned over 33 years.
Who Was Archbishop Anastasios?
Born on November 4, 1929, in Piraeus, Greece, Archbishop Anastasios led the Albanian Orthodox Church starting in 1992 during a critical period of post-communist reconstruction. Under his leadership, religious life in Albania was significantly reorganized, with the establishment of theological seminaries and social programs that profoundly impacted Albanian society.
Before becoming Archbishop of Tirana, Durres, and All Albania, he had an illustrious academic career as an emeritus professor of the History of Religions at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens.
He advanced in the ecclesiastical hierarchy from deacon (1960) to archimandrite (1964) and later served as Bishop of Androussa and Metropolitan of Androussa before being appointed Patriarchal Exarch in Albania.
Archbishop Anastasios authored 24 specialized works and published over 200 articles on theological and pastoral topics, with his works translated into more than 17 languages.
He participated in various ecumenical and interreligious initiatives, contributing to peace and dialogue in the Balkans. He received 27 medals and awards from various Orthodox Churches and international institutions for his contributions.
He was a spiritual leader, educator, and philanthropist whose impact on the Church and society will remain enduring.
May his memory be eternal!
His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios visited Romania in 2017 when he participated in the solemn October session of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church. The Archbishop of Albania was the senior among the primates of the Autocephalous Orthodox Churches.
Photo: Church of Albania
