Albania’s Orthodox Church has inaugurated its new head, Archbishop Joan, following the death of Archbishop Anastasios in January.
The ceremony at the Cathedral of Resurrection of Christ in Tirana formally marked Joan’s leadership as the Archbishop of Tirana, Durres, and all of Albania, as well as head of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania.
Earlier this month, the Holy Synod elected Joan, the Metropolitan of Korca, to succeed Anastasios. The event was attended by Albanian leaders, religious figures, diplomats, and hundreds of faithful.
Bishop Nikolla of Apollonia praised Joan for continuing to preserve religious harmony, a hallmark of his predecessor’s work. Archbishop Joan, 69, vowed to further enrich religious co-existence. Albanian President Bajram Begaj said the ceremony sent a message promoting a more united society.
The Orthodox Church of Albania became autocephalous, which refers to a church that is self-governing and independent, without being subject to the authority of another church or religious leader, in 1922, ending its subordination to Ohrid and Constantinople.
Born Fatmir Pelushi in a Muslim family, Joan was secretly baptised in 1979. He endured communist persecution, joined an underground church, and later studied theology in Boston. In 1992, he returned to Albania to help rebuild the church under Archbishop Anastasios.
Orthodox believers make up about seven per cent of Albania’s population, with religious communities living in harmony.
