Bishop Ilia, the Metropolitan of Philomelion Reposed in the Lord.
On October 6th, 2022, His Grace Ilia Katre, the Metropolitan of Philomelion, of the Albanian Diocese in the Orthodox Church of America, that is under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, reposed in the Lord.
With deep sorrow for his departure from this world and every hope for his resurrection and repose in God, we announce the sudden passing of Metropolitan Ilia Katre at the age of 85.
He was an exemplary hierarch and a man of deep faith who never ceased answering to the church’s call to service.
His passing is a significant loss for Orthodoxy both in America and in Albania and also for all his friends around the world.
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He was a prominent and beloved personality of the Albanian community in the U.S.A and a person who was honored by the orthodox faithful of Albania for his contribution in the reviving of our Church together with Archbishop Anastasios since 1991, especially in educating the new generation of clergy.
His Grace Ilia was born in 1937 to Albanian immigrants who had emigrated to the United States in 1920. His religious background and affinity with the church influenced his decision to become an orthodox priest. He attended the Holy Cross Theological Seminary in 1961, got married and had two children. After that he was ordained a deacon and then a priest. Father Ilia was assigned to the Holy Trinity Albanian Orthodox Church in Boston. In 1983 he completed his post-graduate studies earning a master degree from the Holy Cross Seminary and then accepted an assignment as Dean of Student Affairs at the Hellenic College and Holy Cross Seminary. In 1988 he was assigned as a priest in Nevada where he served until 2002.
After the arrival of Archbishop Anastasios as Patriarchal Exarch, he served in the Church of Albania from 1991 to 1992, especially as the head of the newly opened seminary for the education of the new priests.
In 2001 his presbytera reposed in the Lord. In 2002, Fr. Ilia was elected to the episcopate by the Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate as Bishop of Philomelion to lead the Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America.
In 2004, Bishop Ilia came back to Albania where he was appointed by Archbishop Anastasios as Dean of the Theological Academy at St. Vlash Monastery near Durres, Albania. After serving as dean for three years, he went back to the States to serve his diocese.
Bishop Ilia also served some years as Igumen of the Monastery in Astoria, New York starting in December 2010.
In 2019 in recognition of his exceptional contribution both in U.S.A and in Albania, the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople elevated him to titular Metropolitan of Philomelion.
For several years until a few months ago, Bishop Ilia has been the representative of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania at the Dialogue Table between the Orthodox Churches, (all the Orthodox Churches) with the Anglican Church.
May His Memory be Eternal!
