Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durres and All Albania, after a twelve-day hospitalization in the Intensive Care Unit of “Evangelismos” Hospital, will continue the necessary treatment at home in Athens.
Praising God for the development of this serious ordeal, he expressed his gratitude to the doctors and nurses of the Intensive Care Unit under the leadership of Professor Anastasia Kotanidou.
Archbishop of Albania thanked from the bottom of his heart with fraternal wishes the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the Patriarchs, Theodore of Alexandria, John of Antioch, Theophilos of Jerusalem, Kirill of Moscow and the Archbishops, Ieronymos of Athens as well as the many more Hierarchs.
The Archbishop of Albania expressed his warm thanks for the spontaneous support to the President of the Hellenic Republic of Albania Ilir Meta, the Prime Minister Edi Rama, the President of the Hellenic Republic Aikaterini Sakellaropoulou, the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the former Presidents of the Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos and Christos Sartzetakis, the Leader of the main opposition party Alexis Tsipras, the former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, Ministers Nikos Dendias and Miltiadis Barvitsiotis, Mikis Theodorakis, President of the Parliament of Albania Gramoz Ruçi, Mayor of Tirana Erion Veliaj, President of the Unity for Human Rights Party Vangjel Dule, Albanian and Greek journalists.
Finally, he wholeheartedly thanked the numerous friends, clergy and laity, known and unknown, who supported him with heartfelt wishes, noble events and spontaneous prayers throughout this period.
“Silent participation in the suffering of God’s people secretly contributes to social cohesion. Spontaneous sincere love always strengthens people in difficult times. Love is the most precious thing in the world”.
Archbishop Anastasios underwent relevant tests at a medical centre in Tirana which showed that he was infected with COVID-19. Although the symptoms were mild, the physicians in Tirana deemed necessary that the Archbishop should be hospitalised in a specialised hospital in Greece, given his age and some chronic health problems.
Archbishop Anastasios was admitted to Evangelismos Hospital to receive the appropriate treatment, and following the consent of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Archbishop was transferred from Tirana to Athens with a C-130 aircraft.
