Metropolitan Onufriy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) also sent his congratulations to the new Archbishop Ioannis of Albania.
In his message, Metropolitan Onufriy acknowledges the difficult history of the Church of Albania and the new Archbishop, who stood by the late Archbishop Anastasios.
He also emphasizes the strong ties between the two Churches and expresses his hope for “continued friendly relations, as was the case during the tenure of your predecessor, the ever-memorable Archbishop Anastasios”.
He also speaks of the Church of Albania as a model for the Orthodox world today, describing it as “an example of humble and selfless service to Christ.
Read the message of Metropolitan Onufriy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church:
HIS BEATITUDE IOANNIS,
ARCHBISHOP OF TIRANA, DURRËS, AND ALL ALBANIA
Your Beatitude!
On behalf of the episcopate, clergy, and believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and on my own behalf, I wholeheartedly congratulate you on your election to the See of the Primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church.
Your life’s path reflects the difficult history of the Albanian Church in the second half of the XX century. You received Holy Baptism secretly back in the times of the atheistic regime in your country. Later, you became not only an eyewitness of but also a participant in the revival of Orthodoxy in Albania. You were a disciple and fellow labourer of the ever-memorable Archbishop Anastasios, under whose omophorion your formation and ministry as a priest and then also as a hierarch took place.
For the time of your archpastoral ministry, you have become a well-known hierarch among the Local Orthodox Churches. In particular, we warmly recall your visits to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church as part of official delegations of the Albanian Orthodox Church. It is obvious that the Lord, by His most wise Providence, prepared and led you to the highest ministry of the Primate, for which you were elected by the Holy Synod of the Most Holy Albanian Church.
Having previous experience of brotherly conversation, support, and devotion to the canonical order of the Orthodox Church, we hope for further friendly relations between the Albanian and Ukrainian Orthodox Churches, as it was in the times of the primateship of your forerunner — the ever-memorable Archbishop Anastasios.
In world Orthodoxy, the Albanian Church has become an example of humble and selfless ministry to Christ, fruitful Christian preaching and mission, and profound spiritual life. Due to that, your Church has been able to revive after a period of persecution from the atheistic authorities and has shown the whole world a miracle of the revival of a Christian community.
I wish the Most Holy Albanian Church under your omophorion of the Primate to keep and multiply everything that was created and established earlier. May the Lord strengthen you in the worthy carrying out of your new ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ (Eph. 4:12), in preaching, and in caring about the blessed Albanian flock.
Many years, Your Beatitude!
With fraternal love in Christ,
ONUFRIY
METROPOLITAN OF KYIV AND ALL UKRAINE,
PRIMATE OF THE UKRAINIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
