Memorial services for the repose of the departed were held on Saturday, May 30, 2026, throughout the Orthodox Church of Albania, including in the Archdiocese of Tirana (at the Cathedral of the Annunciation and the Parish of Saint Procopius), in Durrës (at the Churches of Saint Paul the Apostle and Saint Astius), as well as in the Metropolises of Korçë, Berat, Gjirokastër, Apollonia and Fier, and Elbasan.
Orthodox faithful brought kollyva to the churches and prayed for the peace and repose of their departed loved ones.
At the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Tirana, Bishop Ignatius of Amantia celebrated the Divine Liturgy, while at the Church of Saint George in Fier, Metropolitan Nikolaos of Apollonia and Fier presided over the memorial service.
In their sermons, the clergy emphasized that memorial services for the departed manifest the unbroken bond between the faithful on earth and those who have departed this life, a bond maintained through the life and prayers of the Church. At the same time, they remind believers of the great truth that “it is appointed for men to die once” (Hebrews 9:27).
Metropolitan Anastasios celebrated at historic Church in Korçë
Meanwhile, on the Feast of the Leave-taking of the Ascension, Metropolitan Anastasios of Korçë celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the historic Church of the Ascension in the village of Emborë, near Korçë, one of the oldest churches in the Balkans.
The church is believed to have been founded around 1389, although local tradition claiming it was built in 896 has not been confirmed by the architectural evidence.
Despite its modest size, the church preserves rare and important Byzantine frescoes dating from 1390, created by anonymous iconographers.
The church underwent restoration in two phases, in 2015 and 2019, by the Institute of Cultural Heritage of Albania.
Text and photos: Fr. Ilias Makos
