April 12, 2017 marked a very important event for the Orthodox community of our country – the granting of Autocephaly to our Church by the Ecumenical Patriarchate just 80 years ago. By this decision, our Orthodox Church became the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania, and as such, equal to all the other Orthodox Churches.
In his study entitled “The Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania Since the Apostolic Days to the Present”, Archbishop Anastasios writes:
“… On June 29, 1929, during the second Clergy-Laity Congress held in Korca, “the statute of the Orthodox Church of Albania was voted.” The Ecumenical Patriarchate refused to accept such non-canonical actions, but it was willing to allow the Church self-administration and the use of Albanian language in worshiping, preaching and church education.
Due to political developments and the different risks coming from the West, the Patriarchate agreed to discuss even the issue of autocephaly. Also His Eminence Krisanthi, Metropolitan of Trapezunda (who later became Archbishop of Athens) was sent to Albania in order to discuss with the Albanian authorities about the issue of autocephaly. Metropolitan Krisanthi accepted granting the autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Albania and suggested the respective steps. In order to regulate the relations with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, a Clergy-Laity Congress was gathered in Korca, on May 1936, with the participation of representatives from the four dioceses (church districts). The Congress asked for forgiveness from the Patriarchate; then several negotiations took place in Athens (on March 13, 1937) and later on an Albanian committee went to Constantinople to finally settle the issue.
This prolonged ecclesiastical anomaly posed a lot of hardships and was not conducive to the development of the spiritual and church life of the Orthodox community in Albania. The clergy suffered a lot as a result of the various pressures and economic hardship. People remained divided for a long time, since the riots had complicated the national affairs. Consequently, the Uniate and Protestant groups tried to take advantage of this tumult. The canonical recognition of the Autocephaly by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, during the time of Patriarch Benjamin I, opened a new era for the Church of Albania …”
On April 12, 1937, the Patriarchal TOMOS for the recognition of the Autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Albania was signed in the presence of a delegation from Albania, of Patriarch Benjamin I and of the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. The decree (TOMOS) was handed to Bishop Christopher who was appointed then as Archbishop of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania.
Also the Ecumenical Patriarchate sent a message to King Zog and to Mr. Koco Kota, the Prime Minister of the country.
On May 24, 1937, Archbishop Christopher, in his capacity as President of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Albania, responded with a thank-you-letter to His Holiness Benjamin I, the Patriarch of Constantinople.
After the canonical elections in the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the First Synod was gathered with the participation of the following members: His Beatitude Christopher (Kisi), Archbishop of Tirana, Durres and All Albania, His Grace Evlogji (Kurila), Bishop of Korca, His Grace Agathangjeli (Çamçe), Bishop of Berati and His Grace Pandejleimon (Kotoko), Bishop of Gjirokastra. The two metropolises became Episcopates, whereas the third Episcopate (of Gjirokastra), was formed by the parishes of the old Metropolis of Drinopoli who were present in Albania.
On the occasion of the declaration of autocephaly, a panegyric Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the Annunciation Cathedral Church in Tirana, with the participation of the hierarchs and the clergy of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania. The ceremony was also attended by King Zog. His Grace Pandejleimon Kotoko, Bishop of Gjirokastra read out a summary of the Patriarchal TOMOS which granted the autocephaly to our Church.
This is a photo of the First Holy Synod of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania which was elected by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
First – Metropolitan of Korca, His Grace Evllogjio (Kurilla)
Second – Archbishop of Albania, His Beatitude Kristofor (Kisi)
Third – Metropolitan of Gjirokastra, His Grace Panteleimon (Kotoko)
Fourth – Bishop of Berati, His Grace Agathangjel (Çamçe)
