During a visit to the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in Bischwiller on Saturday, January 25, 2025, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew paid heartfelt tribute to the late Archbishop Anastasios of Albania. In his homily, delivered during a Trisagion service for the repose of Archbishop Anastasios, the Patriarch highlighted the exceptional life and ministry of the departed hierarch.
The Ecumenical Patriarch described Archbishop Anastasios as “a great personality of our Orthodox Church,” noting his extensive contributions in the fields of mission, academia, and ecclesiastical leadership. Reflecting on the late Archbishop’s transformative role, the Patriarch stated: “In the many years that God gave him, he carried out a missionary work in Africa, scientific work in Athens, where he taught theology and religion at the University of Athens, and ecclesiastical work in Albania for over thirty years. When the atheist regime in Albania collapsed, the Mother Church of Constantinople sent him to resurrect and regenerate the Church of Albania, which had been left in ruins.”
Recalling the early struggles of the Church’s revival, Patriarch Bartholomew spoke of the first years of Archbishop Anastasios’s mission:”I remember those early years when he brought us to the Phanar two or three elderly priests, emaciated and exhausted from years of suffering under the regime. Despite these challenges, Archbishop Anastasios, with God’s grace, rebuilt the Church of Albania. He ordained new clergy, opened a seminary, and established churches, orphanages, charitable institutions, and even a university.”
The Ecumenical Patriarch also acknowledged the support of institutions, foundations, and individuals who believed in the Archbishop’s vision and dedication.
In closing, Patriarch Bartholomew reflected on the Archbishop’s recent passing: “Now is the time for the Lord to call him to Him, to give him rest from the many labors of his life and ministry. May his memory be eternal, and may we have his blessing.”
Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
