In an interview with “Ngjallja,” Archbishop Ioannis of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania spoke about the growing presence of fear, anxiety, uncertainty and depression in contemporary life, underlining that these realities are not new, but can be faced and gradually overcome through spiritual illumination, faith, and a life rooted in the Church.
Fear and anxiety are not the same
The Archbishop noted that fear, anxiety and uncertainty have accompanied humanity “throughout history,” explaining that, in Scripture, fear appears after the fall—when man becomes afraid of God’s presence, even though he was created to rejoice in it. The rupture of the spiritual relationship with God, he said, brings fear into the human heart.
He distinguished between reasonable fear—a protective reaction to immediate danger—and irrational fear, which can become phobia. Anxiety, he added, differs from fear because it is often not linked to an immediate threat, but to thoughts about the past or the future that create intense stress. “Measure is very important,” he emphasized, noting that when such states dominate a person, they may require both medical help and spiritual counsel.
“Fear of God” as reverence and light
Archbishop Ioannis also spoke about the “fear of God,” stressing that in its deepest sense it is not terror but reverence—“the beginning of wisdom”—which illumines the soul. Citing the Desert Fathers, he said it is like a lamp that lights a dark room, gradually driving away other fears. He recalled the Scriptural teaching that the fulfillment of wisdom is love for God, and invoked the patristic insight that “perfect love casts out fear.”
When fear and depression overwhelm us
Asked how one should respond when fear, anxiety, and depression prevail, the Archbishop stressed that “there cannot be one single prescription for everyone,” because it depends on the intensity and circumstances. Still, he pointed to a clear spiritual direction: “the closer we draw to God, the more these diminish.”
Fear often arises from the feeling of abandonment and loneliness, he explained, as well as from inner emptiness when life loses its purpose. He urged the faithful to return to the constant biblical reassurance—“Do not be afraid”—reminding that God’s presence is the foundation of security: “If God is with us, whom shall we fear?”
Using the Gospel image of Saint Peter walking on the water, he noted that fear grows when a person shifts focus from Christ to the “waves and wind” of life. Likewise, when anxiety and uncertainty threaten to lead to despair, “we must refocus on God,” he said, comparing faith to a child holding the father’s hand in the dark.
The Church’s answer: the Gospel, spiritual life, and Confession
On how the Church helps those overwhelmed by anxiety, Archbishop Ioannis pointed to the “constant preaching of the Gospel,” calling it the Good News that God conquered death and every evil, and that “God is with us.” Life in the Church, he said, is fundamentally the joy of the Resurrection—an assurance that does not allow despair to have the final word, even if it comes “for a moment.”
He warned that one of the deepest wounds of modern society is the absence of spiritual life, which amplifies stress, anxiety and despair. Drawing on Saint Paul, he stressed that we are not given “a spirit of fear,” and referred to the prayer of Saint Ephrem as a reminder that the “spirit” shaping the inner person must be fought and transformed through grace.
Among the Church’s greatest therapies, he highlighted the Mystery of Confession, describing it as profound spiritual healing—“spiritual conversation” and inner clarification—through which a person finds liberation. Without faith, he noted, fear and despair cannot be fully overcome, because a life without an ultimate purpose leaves the human person uncertain.
“There is undoubtedly hope”
Asked whether there is hope for people when the desire for life fades, Archbishop Ioannis replied unequivocally: “There is undoubtedly hope.” As long as a person lives, he said, hope must remain, nourished by the assurance of God’s closeness.
He warned that many “seek water where there is no spring,” and that life dries up when it moves away from its source—God, who says, “I am the life.” While acknowledging that there are mysteries we cannot fully explain—sickness, early death, suffering—he stressed that a deep spiritual life gives strength to endure and to interpret death not as annihilation but as a passage.
Final message: love and compassion
Concluding, the Archbishop called for tangible love toward those who suffer from anxiety and despair. He emphasized that reproach does not help, while a warm, compassionate environment can bring release. “The more love there is,” he said in essence, “the less fear there will be,” recalling the Christian truth that love drives out fear.
