Archbishop Ioannis of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania held a series of high-level meetings today in Brussels as part of his official visit to European institutions.
In the afternoon, a special event titled “The Life, Work, and Legacy of the Late Archbishop Anastasios” was held at the European Parliament. The event brought together Members of the European Parliament, ministers, diplomats, and officials from various European institutions. The Mission of the Republic of Albania to the European Union was represented by Her Excellency Admira Jorgji, Plenipotentiary Minister.
Archbishop Ioannis delivered the keynote address, paying tribute to the late Anastasios, recalling his historic arrival in Albania in 1991, at a time when the Orthodox Church had been almost completely devastated after five decades of harsh persecution under the communist regime. He highlighted how, through vision, love, and exceptional self-sacrifice, Archbishop Anastasios succeeded in restoring the Church from ruin by building hundreds of churches, establishing schools, hospitals, and social centers, and forming a new generation of clergy and faithful.
In his address, Archbishop Ioannis emphasized that the true legacy of Archbishop Anastasios lies not only in the physical structures he rebuilt, but above all in the lives he touched and in the model of interreligious dialogue he established in Albania. This model, he noted, is today regarded as exemplary throughout Europe.
The event was of particular significance, as it marked the first time the European Parliament has hosted an event dedicated to the life and work of an Orthodox hierarch. The strong presence of MEPs from different political groups, along with diplomats and representatives of European institutions, underscored the broad international recognition of Archbishop Anastasios’ contribution to the rebuilding of democratic Albania and to the promotion of European values through the witness of the Orthodox Church.
