“… Through our dialogue with the others
we scatter the light of Orthodoxy… “
Part of his visit were a series of activities and awards:
•He was awarded Panagiotis Foteas prestigious prize for political essays and meditation
• He was awarded Doctor Honoris Causa Title from the University of Peloponnese
• He was awarded the Honorary Citizen of Kalamata Title
From 13 to 16 December 2016, Archbishop Anastasios, paid a blessed visit in the Holy Metropolis of Messinia and in the other institutions in Kalamata and Peloponnese. Part of his visit were a series of activities, lots of emotions and several meaningful Christmas-inspired messages. He was accompanied by His Grace Nikolla, Bishop of Apollonia and Fier and His Grace Nathaniel, Bishop of Amantia. This visit was in response to repeated invitations made by local authorities, the university and the church of this area.
Archbishop Anastasios’ visit started with the reception and doxology ceremony in the Metropolis of Messinia, and more specifically in the Church of Ipapandia where he was welcomed by Bishop Chrisostomos, MetropolItan of Messinia. In his welcoming speech the Metropolitan spoke about Archbishop Anastasios’ enlightened personality, his innovative feeds in Orthodoxy worldwide, his outstanding contribution in the Church and in particular in the dialogue between the Orthodox churches, Christians and religions. In his response, Archbishop Anastasios referred mainly to the blessed and wonderful experience of the revival of the Orthodox Church in Albania.
The Municipality of Kalamata, through a special ceremony organized at the Folk Dance Palace of Kalamata, awarded to His Beatitude the Medal of Honorary Citizen of Kalamata. Mr. Panagiotis Nikas, the Mayor of Kalamata gave to the Archbishop the medal with an appropriate citation from the City Council. The climax of this visit was when Archbishop Anastasios was awarded the prestigious “Panagiotis Foteas” Prize for political essay and meditation.
It was especially impressive for the residents of Kalamata and the rest of the participants the fact that Archbishop Anastasios decided to divide the financial amount, which accompanies this annual award, in three, respectively for an institution for the elderly in Greece, an institution for the elderly in Tirana, named The Family of Love, which is still in the process of being built and the Orthodox Home of Hope for children in Albania.
The links of Archbishop Anastasios with Kalamata were expressed both in the greeting words and in the local media: A day before leaving for ierapostolism in Africa, Archbishop Anastasios was ordained a priest by the late Chrysostomos (Themeli), Metropolitan of Messinia while until his election as Archbishop of Tirana he had held the title of Metropolitan of Androussa, which was an early episcopate in the Peloponnese area.
In all these activities organized in honor of Archbishop Anastasios, Bishop Chrysostomos, the Metropolitan of Messinia, represented also the Ecumenical Patriarch, His All Holiness Bartholomew. Present in the ceremony were Bishop Athenagoras, Metropolitan of Ilio and Acharne, and Bishop Gabriel of Leontopoli.
Archbishop Anastasios visited the archaeological museum center of the traditional regions of Kalamata, where he highlighted the need for dissent resistance to mediocrity through the creative qualities of each of us while exercising whatever vocation.
On Wednesday evening, in the Great Hall of the Activities of the University of Peloponnese, which was noticeably packed, an official ceremony took place during which Archbishop of Tirana, Durres and All Albania Anastasios would be awarded Doctor Honoris Causa Title, by the Department of Philology of the Faculty of Humanities and Cultural Property Administration of the University of Peloponnese. Prof. Jeogjios Andhriomenos (Assistant Rector) spoke about the qualities of such an honorable person, qualities which brought to a unanimous decision the University Senate to award the respective prize. Prof. Andhriomenos focused especially on the fact that Archbishop Anastasios has been the most striking example of the scientist who works on the ground to promote his ideas, of the unique person whose words are followed by his works, and who constistently and perennially walks close to human pain. The Head of the Department, Prof. Vassilios Konstantopoulos, read and submitted the Decision of the Declaration of Archbishop Anastasios as Doctor Honoris Causa of the Department.
On this occasion, according to tradition, Archbishop Anastasios held a lecture entitled “The Light of Christ and Europe” in front of the honorable audience and in the presence of Archbishop of Athens, His Beatitude Jeronim and of the other Hierarchs of the Peloponnese Peninsula. In his lecture, Prof. Dr. Anastasios addressed issues of the establishment of Europe on the bases of Christian morality and the necessity of regaining such messages in the current times. Having actualized his opinion, the Archbishop referred to the Holy and Great Synod of the Orthodox Church, as a milestone in the Orthodox world and an essential step in strengthening the unity and conveying the message of Orthodoxy in today’s Orthodox world. Archbishop stressed that the dialogue with the other Christian world is another ierapostolic opportunity to convey even in those places the precious treasure preserved by the tradition and the Orthodox Church.
During Archbishop’s presence in Kalamata, the youth and school students showed a particular interest to meet him, to hear his spiritual words and precious advice drawn from a long pastoral experience, but to also hear him speak as a university professor in front of auditors; an interest to which Archbishop Anastasios responded back all the time, despite his full schedule.
During his visit to the Kalamata area Archbishop Anastasios went also to visit the town of Androussa, where he had been a bishop for many years. He met there the students of the Lyceum and gymnasium, who had organized an impressive reception. Wanting to transmit in a very significant way, Christian humanism and love for people, especially on such days when we celebrate the birth of the God of Love, Archbishop Anastasios, without any publicity, paid a visit to the oldest man and woman in the town, as well as to a paralyzed person.
Through this visit, Archbishop Anastasios was able to convey words of hope, comfort, and especially the message of holding one’s hope on to Christ – who is the incarnate Word of God – but also to share with the brothers of the Church of Kalamata and the rest of people the fabulous experience of the renewal of faith and the restoration of the Church in Albania.
“Panagiotis Foteas Motivation Prize” Awarded to Archbishop Anastasios
“Panagiotis Foteas Prize”, which is created in memory of the memorable first mayor of Mesinia, was awarded this year to His Beatitude Anastasios, Archbishop of Tirana, Durres and All Albania, for his essays included in the book Coexistence, Armo Publications.
The motivation of the relevant committee for the selection of the book Coexistence was based on the assessment that “this book contains essays that address issues of great worldly dimensions such as peace, natural environment, poverty, terrorism, universal values of all humanity, portrayed in an original and authentic way from a theological and religious perspective.”
The Commission emphasized the fact that the main feature of these texts was the high level of opinion, the deep spiritual life, the high and modest spirit, the author’s lucid word, which altogether make the reader wake up, contrary to the spirit of drowsiness and spiritual hypnosis which characterizes the person nowadays.
Simultaneously, the Commission honors also the person of Archbishop Anastasios, as a famous personality with an international authority, for his multilateral work, for restoring from the ruins the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania, as well as for his extensive ierapostolic and social activity.
