On Sunday, June 1, 2014, the Heads and representatives of the Orthodox Churches gathered in Tirana for the consecration of the new “Resurrection of Christ” Cathedral, bringing, for one historic day, Albania, to the center of the Orthodox world. This event is a definite source of pride for the exceptional work of Archbishop Anastasios, who resurrected our Church from the ashes of atheistic ruins and made it equal with all other churches. It was the most significant consecration of the true Autocephaly achieved in these years, after the difficulties of the twentieth century

    The feast began with the welcoming of the Patriarchs, the Archbishops and the representations at the Rinas Airport by Archbishop Anastasios and members of the Holy Synod of our Church. Particularly impressive was the welcoming of the Ecumenical Patriarch, His All-Holiness Bartholomew I, by His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios and the members of the Synod, as well as by the Orthodox youth dressed with national costumes, who gave His All-Holiness bouquets of flowers and took his blessing. The members of the delegation stayed in Sheraton Hotel and some of them that arrived early had the opportunity to visit some of the achievements of these years, such as the Orthodox clinic “Evangelism”, the schools etc. On Sunday morning, Matins and the Service of the Consecration began at the “Nativity of Christ” chapel, which is part of the Cathedral complex. There were also the relics of the holy martyrs that would be placed later at the holy table of the new Cathedral. Then the litany with the relics began, in which all the Patriarchs participated, the Archbishops and the representatives of the Patriarchates, together with numerous clergy. The Relics were blessed by the hands of patriarchs, who also read the prayers in their own languages. The first to enter the Cathedral was the Ecumenical Patriarch, followed by all the other clergy and many believers.

    After placing the Holy Relics in the Holy Table, the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy of the Heads of the Orthodox Churches began, which was led by His All-Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew I; with the participation of the Their Beatitudes, Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos; Patriarch Irinej of Serbia; Patriarch Daniel of Romania; the Archbishops of Cyprus, Chrysostomos; of Athens, Ieronymos; of Warsaw, Sava, and the Archbishop of Tirana, Anastasios. Also concelebrating were the Metropolitans and the representatives of the Patriarchate of Alexandria; the Metropolitan of Kampala and All Uganda, Jonah; Metropolitan Isaac of Antioch; from Moscow, Metropolitan Theodosios of Tambov; from Bulgaria, Metropolitan Deraphim of Nevrokop; and from Georgia, Metropolitan Gerasimos of Zugdid.

    Present to honour this significant event of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania, the President of the Republic of Albania, Mr. Bujar Nishani; the President of the Parliament, Mr. Ilir Meta; the Prime Minister, Mr. Edi Rama and his wife; the Mayor of the Democratic Party, Mr. Lulzim Basha and his wife; the Deputy Prime Minister of Albania, Mr. Niko Peleshi; the Deputy Chairman of the Parliament, Mr. Vangjel Dule; the Minister of Social Welfare and Youth, Mr. Erion Veliaj; the Apostolic Nuncio, Monsignor Ramiro Ingles; the President of the Episcopal Conference of the Catholic Church in Albania, Monsignor Angelo Masafra; parliamentarians, politicians, ambassadors, etc.

    At the end of the Liturgy Archbishop Anastasios spoke, who among other things said: “Your presence here this Sunday, which coincides with the commemoration of the 318 Fathers of the First Ecumenical Synod, lends special emphasis to the unity of Orthodoxy, to the truth that ‘if one member suffers, all members suffer together; and if one member is honoured, all rejoice together’ (I Cor. 12, 26-7); and that our Church is one body, His body (the body of Christ), ‘the fullness of him who fills all in all’ (Eph. 1, 23). So today’s event is not merely a great honour for the Church of Albania, but, at the same time, a wider testimony to the strength of the Orthodox World, ‘from one end to the other’.

    The present day seals an historic period of Passion, Burial and Resurrection for the Orthodox Church of Albania. I shall not refer now to the conditions, the questions, the obstacles, the misunderstandings, the slander, the objective difficulties and the trials, nor to the achievements over these 23 long years. It is now beyond doubt that, in an age of uncertainty and disturbances, the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania, through its presence and its many and varied social initiatives, has strengthened the faith, the love and the hope of the Orthodox people, and of Albanian society in general. Through its activities it has contributed effectively, at a critical period in history, to the broader reconstruction, to the spiritual and social development, of Albania.”

    Then His All-Holiness, the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, greeted the people and said: “We have gathered today for this great and historic event: the consecration ceremony of the Holy Church of the Resurrection, which confirms the resurrection of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church in Albania. We faithful Orthodox believers are known for the fact that we believe in the resurrection of the dead, having first our Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was resurrected by His power and co-resurrects through Himself all believers, inviting all people to participate in the resurrection. For those who do not believe in Jesus Christ, the resurrection appears to be myth. But from the experience of the saints, we have the experience of the Resurrection, which is also the reality, and our living experience.

    In this sense, also the sanctification of the great Cathedral of the Resurrection today constitutes proof that the Resurrection is a reality, that the Orthodox Church of Albania, which was once dead because of atheist persecution, is again living, full of vitality and creativity”. The end of the Liturgy was a true celebration, with handshakes, thanks and joyful faces at this extraordinary event for the Orthodox of Albania.