A farewell mass was held for the Archbishop of Albania, Anastas Janullatos, who passed away leaving behind a religious and social legacy at the head of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania.

On this occasion, the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, and the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, honored his figure.

Archbishop Anastasios will be remembered as an extraordinary figure of Orthodoxy, a spiritual leader and a promoter of coexistence and understanding between peoples, it was said there.

Prime Minister Rama said that Anastasius' work at the head of the Autocephalous Church is honored and admired.

"Archbishop Anastasios completed his duty in the service of the Orthodox faithful. His life was very meaningful. 33 years is a very significant number, he rebuilt the crumbling edifice of the autocephalous church of Albania. Anastasios' life was a completely fulfilled life as through it a child's dream was realized. The person of Archbishop Anastasios and his work at the head of the church have been admired, admired, blessed and rebuked and even anathematized. Whether he wanted it or not, he took on his shoulders the childish fires of our neighborhood, testifying to the stoicism of the shepherd, in a time and world where many are swayed by the wind. "Beyond the fires that flared like lightning in a clear sky here and there, across the reopened and extinguished border like a link in the common courtyard, and beyond the suspicions of the Balkan neighborhood, I never question the authenticity of the Archbishop's pastoral commitment," Rama declared.

Prime Minister Mitsotakis also described the Archbishop as an enlightened figure and a spiritual leader who worked for the revitalization of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania after the fall of communism, writes atsh, reports KosovaPress.

"The Archbishop was always a bridge of friendship between the two peoples and a link of communication between the two states. He built churches, established educational and health institutions and served the people with humility. His departure leaves behind an irreplaceable void," said Mitsotakis.

Archbishop Anastasios will be remembered as an extraordinary figure of Orthodoxy, a spiritual leader, and a promoter of coexistence and understanding between peoples.

https://kosovapress.com/sot-mbahet-ceremonia-mortore-per-kryepeshkopin-anastas

The head of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania passed away last Saturday (January 25), at the age of 95, after a weeks-long battle in hospital.