On Monday, June 12, 2017, at the Seat of the Holy Synod in Tirana, the Archbishop of Tirana, Durres and All Albania, His Beatitude Anastasios hosted a delegation of distinguished personalities from Lebanon, of the Ghazanide prominent royal family, since the time of the Byzantine Empire until the 18th century, consisting of Sheikh Selim El Chemor, Beirut, Lebanon; Prince Gharios El-Chemor of Ghassan, Aman, Jordan; Mr. John Domonkos and Dr. Elie Gharios. They were accompanied by the Bishop of the World Evangelical Alliance, Prof. Dr. Thomas Schirrmacher, who has been an old friend of Archbishop Anastasios during the ecumenical movement.
Archbishop Anastasius acquainted the friends with the process of resurrection from the ruins of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania and its progress throughout the years.
The friends, after thanking His Beatitude for the reception, introduced him with the hundred-year-old activity of the Ghazanide royal family. They also handed over to him the Order of Saint Mihail the Archangel, which has been conferred to many heads of states and churches, as well as the document of being elected an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences for his well-known work.
Finally, the friends, accompanied by Archbishop Anastasios, visited the Resurrection of Christ Cathedral Complex before continuing with their program, which provisioned a reception in the Presidency.
Famous personalities coming from the Ghazanide royal family at present are the late Patriarch of Antioch, Ignat, the actor Omar Sharif, the singer Shakira, the billionaire Carlos Slim etc.
