July 25th, 2008 marked the 10th anniversary of the enthronement of His Grace Joan, Metropolitan of Korca, Pogradec, Kolonja, Devoli, and Voskopoja. To celebrate this event a concert was held in Korca the evening before in the Cathedral’s concert hall. Many clergy members and faithful attended as well as the mayor of Korca, Niko Peleshi, the consul general of Greece in Korca, Konstandinos Maucos, the Metropolitan of Berat, His Grace Ignati, and several other political and religious leaders of the city and area.
    At the end of the concert Mayor Niko Peleshi spoke:  “We are a country and city that are being resurrected. Everyday we all try to renew resurrect the historical, cultural, intellectual and educational values of this city. It is understood that the first and most important of these attempts are made by those who work daily under great difficulties to restore the spiritual values in which we are of great need.  In that place of honor one person, beloved by all people of Korca, not only the Christians, deserves to stand- His Grace Joan”. Then, after esteeming Bishop Joan’s work and collaboration with himself, Mr. Niko Peleshi made public the decision of the City Council to grant His Grace the title “Honored Citizen”.
    His Grace, Joan, expressed his appreciation for this decision and said that the honor was not only for himself but for the whole city because of all the spiritual and material support that the community has given the city. He continued by saying, “Our country needs light and the message of the Church… The long transition period is not an economic problem, but rather a moral one and a moral sickness can only be healed by moral means, because nothing can be built on lies and injustice… It is specifically these values which the Church continuously tries to spread today, just as in past centuries, because our country needs light.
    To have peace in our personal lives, our families, and more than that make an effort to protect the Church, to protect her and help her in everything, because in that way you help yourselves and your children…”
    On Friday, July 25th the Orthodox Christians gathered together to celebrate Divine Liturgy in the Church of the “Life-giving Spring” in order to thank God and to pray together.  Metropolitan of Berati, His Grace Ignati; Metropolitan of Gjirokaster, His Grace Dimitri; Metropolitan of Siatista, His Grace Pavlos; concelebrated this liturgy together with many clergy members and joined by faithful from Korca and the surrounding areas.
    All those in attendance extended heartfelt congratulations to His Grace Joan. Among those were the Korca Diocese youth group, the “Vithkuq Brotherhood” society,  the Orthodox Women’s group of Tirana and that of Korca, as well as the children’s choir of the Korca Cathedral, girls from the “Good Shepherd” summer camp, representatives from the clergy of the Berati Metropolis. The liturgy was attended by a number of political and religious leaders which had likewise attended the concert the evening before. Metropolitan Joan thanked everyone for the warmth and love as well as for the gifts he was given since “gifts are from the heart” he said. Following this everyone attended a reception for the occasion.
Julia PjetriTranslated and edited by Georgia Bendo
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