Today, 2 June 2014, the eight Primates of Orthodox Churches, present these days in Tirana on the occasion of the consecration of the Archiepiscopal Cathedral of the “Resurrection of the Lord”, were received at the Presidential Palace by Nujar Nishani, President of Albania. During the meeting, he emphasised the importance and need of the cooperation between State and Church, also presenting the activity of the Orthodox Church of Albania which supported the construction of settlements for the disadvantaged persons.
Then, the Primates met Ilie Meta, President of the Albanian Parliament and Prime Minister Edi Rama.
Before ending the visit to Albania, the delegation of the Romanian Orthodox Church headed by His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel attended a reception offered by the Romanian Ambassador in Tirana, Aurel Stanila.
The visit of His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel to Albania began Saturday, at the invitation of His Beatitude Anastasie, Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania.
Sunday, 1 June 2014, a group of eight Primates of Orthodox Churches together with tens of hierarchs and priests consecrated the new Archiepiscopal Cathedral of Albania. The celebrants surrounded the Cathedral in the presence of over 2000 people, with a martyr’s relics in front of the procession later on put in the leg of the holy table.
His Holiness Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch, His Grace Teofil III, Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Irineu, Patriarch of Serbia, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania, His Beatitude Ieronim, Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, His Beatitude Hrisostom II, Archbishop of Cyprus, His Beatitude Sava, Archbishop of Warsaw and All Poland, and the host of the event His Beatitude Anastasie, Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania were present.
Then, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Cathedral.
His Beatitude Anastasie showed in the sermon delivered the major contribution of the people he serves to the construction of the Cathedral of the “Resurrection of the Lord”.
“Today’s feast is not only a great honour for the Church of Albania, but also a witnessing, from one end to another, of the unity of the Orthodox Church. The presence of Your Beatitudes with everything you represent through the initiatives you had in the life of the Churches and societies you come from strengthened the faith, hope and love of the Albanian Orthodox people, as well as of the Albanian society in general, having also been a recognition of the decisive contribution that the Orthodox Church had to the development of the Albanian faith and society, in general, in a period of great trials”, His Beatitude Anastasie said.
His Holiness Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch, congratulated the Archbishop of Albania and the faithful for the work done to raise the Cathedral.
“The Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Mother Church of Constantinople, is very glad to see the wonder of the revival of this Orthodox Church and congratulate them from the bottom of their heart all those who contributed to its resurrection. The first contributor was His Beatitude Anastasie, Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania, as well as the crowd of clergy and faithful known by name or not, some of them known, but most of them not. Mr President of the Republic, representatives of the Govern and all inhabitants of the country can be proud of this beautiful cathedral because its shining rays of love, unity and brotherhood are spread everywhere through it, serving them all with no difference whatsoever”, His Holiness Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch, showed.
After the religious service, the Primates of Orthodox Churches, hierarchs and officials attended a reception offered by His Beatitude Anastasie, Archbishop of Albania. His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania, expressed his thanks for the invitation to participate in the ceremonies held in Tirana.
“Thank you very much for the invitation to participate in the consecration of the new Cathedral of Tirana which is the symbol of the Resurrection of the Orthodox Church of Albania, a joy for all faithful. We congratulate you for the construction of this Cathedral, as well as for the rich pastoral, theological, educational, medical and social philanthropic activity you develop. As we have a new Patriarchal Cathedral being built in Bucharest, we invite you to Romania to encourage us, to give us some good advice in this regard”, His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church said, according to Trinitas TV.
On this occasion, the Patriarch of Romania offered the Primate of the Orthodox Church of Albania a set of holy vessels for the Cathedral, a blessing cross and an icon of the Resurrection of the Lord. The events continued Sunday afternoon at the Cultural Centre of the Archiepiscopal Cathedral of the “Resurrection of the Lord”, in the underground of the place of worship, with the Orthodox Youth Feast. Young people and students from several cities of Albania performed a programme of traditional songs and dances. The Cathedral chorus and the Symphonic Orchestra of Albania also performed. A documentary on the construction of the new Archiepiscopal Cathedral was also watched.
The delegation of the Romanian Orthodox Church also included His Eminence Ciprian, Archbishop of Buzau and Vrancea.
