Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durres and All Albania, was born on November 4, 1929, in Piraeus, Greece.
Archbishop Anastasios (Yannoulatos) was Professor of History of Religions (1972-92) and Dean of the Theological Faculty of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (1983-86). B.D. and Th.D. (with highest honors) and today is Professor Emeritus of the same University.
He has been awarded Th.D. h.c. DD. h.c. Ph.D. h.c. from 19 universities, faculties or departments (from Greece, U.S.A. Cyprus, Romania, Georgia, Albania, Italy), Corresponding Member (1993-2005), and Honourary Member (since 2006) of the Academy of Athens.
Postgraduate Studies: History of Religions and Ethnology, at Universities of Hamburg and Marburg, Germany (under the “Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung” Scholarship).
Studied also world religions by traveling in countries where they flourish. Languages: (Besides Modern and Ancient Greek), English, French, German and a working knowledge of Latin, Italian, Spanish, and Albanian.
He played a pioneering role in rekindling the Orthodox interest in foreign mission (from 1958). He was ordained Deacon (1960); Priest-Archimandrite (1964), Bishop of Androussa (1972) for the position of the General Director of the Apostolike Diakonia of the Church of Greece (1972-92); Locum Tenens (Acting Archbishop) of the Holy Metropolis of Irinoupolis in East Africa (1981-1990); Metropolitan of Androussa and Patriarchal Exarch in Albania (1991-1992). Archbishop of Tirana, and All Albania (June, 1992 onward).
As General Director of the Apostoliki Diakonia, he promoted various theological, educational and publishing programs; particularly, he developed the sector of foreign missions.
In East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania) he undertook the organization and development of the Orthodox missions. He has been recognized as “Great Benefactor of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa”.
As Archbishop of Albania (1992 to the present), under tremendously difficult circumstances, he has restored and further developed the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania, which had been fully dissolved for 23 years.
Although formal freedom was already restored to the country, the beginning of the 1990s was a dramatic time period for the Community of the Orthodox faithful in Albania.
Upon arriving in the country, the Archbishop encountered the fearful spiritual and material void that formal atheism had left behind, but he was not intimidated. He was committed to changing the situation.
Together with the work of revitalizing the Orthodox Church, innovative programs were also developed in the areas of health, social welfare, education, agricultural developments, culture and ecology. At the same time, he struggled to assist in relieving the many tensions in the Balkans.
Author of 24 books (researches in African religions, essays in Theology and History of Missions, sermons etc) including Islam, a general survey (16 editions), History of Living Religions, significant chapters, Facing the World, Mission In Christ’s way, To the End of the Earth, Coexistence, In Albania Cross and Resurrection.
Published more than 200 essays and articles of Theological and pastoral themes. His studies and articles have been translated into 17 foreign languages.
He has been honored with 27 medals and awards of many Orthodox Churches and various countries. His significant contribution to Christian Mission, Theology, and the peaceful coexistence of people and religious communities has been internationally recognized.
Archbishop Anastasios attended the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church in Crete, 16-26 of June in 2016.
Source: Basilica.ro
