The great feast day of the Dormition of Theotokos is celebrated on 15 August, and is preceded by two weeks of fast. For the whole Christian world, the figure of the Mother of God is unequivocally and divinely connected to the Savior of the humanity – Jesus Christ and the sincere and infinite love.
Theotokos protects all and supports every good human deed. She is considered to be the guardian of all men before God for their voluntary and involuntary sins. Since the moment of Her Dormition, Virgin Mary stands on the right side of her son – Jesus Christ, and through Her Motherly prayers She protects the whole Christian world bringing joy and affection to all those who are in need and suffer.
Her Dormition Day – August 15, is considered as one of the largest and brightest Christian festivities. Every year the churches and monasteries bearing Her name are filled with thousands of believers.
At the Archiepiscopate of Tirana
Many faithful from Durres, Tirana, Kavaja, and also from other parts of the country gathered to honor the celebration of the Dormition of Theotokos feast in the New Monastery of Saint Vlash in Durres. According to tradition, the celebration began with the services performed on the evening of August 14, when hundreds of believers gather to spend the night in prayer at the monastery church along with many other faithful from different religious backgrounds who especially honor this holy place. On August 15, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Bishop Asti of Bylis.
In the “Resurrection of Christ” Cathedral in Tirana, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated in the presence of hundreds of believers by His Eminence Nathanail, the Metropolitan of Amantias,.
In the Metropolis of Berat
On August 14, Archbishop Anastasios was in the Metropolitan area of Berat for the vigil of the Dormition feast. Along with Metropolitan Ignat, he visited the city of Vlora where they were welcomed by the Mayor of the city, Mr. Dritan Leli and the Prefect, Mr. Flamur Mamaj. Among other things, they discussed also about the pending problem of building a cathedral church in this ancient city with ancient traditions.
For the Vespers, Archbishop Anastasios went to the “Dormition of Theotokos” Monastery in Zvërnec. This monastery has been totally restored through a substantial fund provided by His Beatitude.
Archbishop Anastasios, who was accompanied by His Eminence Ignat, was received in the monastery by, Mr. Dritan Leli, the Mayor of the city, Mr. Edi Leka, the deputy of Vlora, Consuls of Greece and Italy and the Mayor of the municipality. In honor of the Archbishop, a classical music concert took place on the bridge linking Zvërnec to the village. Mr. Leli praised the personality of Archbishop Anastasios, as a shepherd who has created nursery homes of love and trust everywhere in Albania for the Orthodox faithful.
Archbishop Anastasios celebrated the Vespers of the Dormition Feast at the Church of St. Mary in Zvërnec, where hundreds of believers attended. In the end, His Beatitude spoke of the celebration, naming it ‘a summer Pascha’ for Christianity.
A special opportunity was given to the Metropolis of Berat to celebrate the liturgy on August 15 in the church of the Theotokos in Berati Castle, which has been part of the Onufri museum and has not yet returned to the Orthodox Church. The Divine Liturgy at this place was celebrated by His Eminence Ignat.
In the Metropolis of Korça
On the day when our Church celebrates the Dormition of Virgin Mary, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Eminence Joan, the Metropolitan of Korça, in the church bearing the same name in Pogradec.
In the Korça area, a very special traditional celebration takes place in the monastery of the Dormition of Theotokos in Boboshtica. Every August 15th, there are thousands of believers from the area, but also from all over the country who gather together to celebrate. The Divine Liturgy this year was celebrated by Fr. Jani, Fr. Petraq and other clergy in the newly reconstructed church.
On August 15, in the village of Bezhan, Kolonja, the Divine Liturgy was beautifully celebrated, for the first time after several years in the Dormition of Theotokos church since residents in this village have emigrated. The liturgy was celebrated by Stavrofor Anesti Dhimitri. This year’s celebration was organized through the support of the local people who had returned to their homeland to honor the Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ. Also, through their own support and that of the Holy Metropolis of Korca, more funds will be collected for the reconstruction of the church, which was restored back in the 90s.
In the Metropolis of Gjirokastra
“Apostles from all sides of the earth …” – we chant this verse during all the days of Lent before the great feast of the Dormition of Theotokos. Just like the apostles, lots of Orthodox faithful gather from all sides of the country to join the festive atmosphere in the Holy Metropolis of Gjirokastra. There are many church communities that honor and venerate Virgin Mary on this day and many churches and monasteries bearing Her Name in the area of the Metropolis of Gjirokastra that celebrate.
The Orthodox Faithful give to these churches a special charm and beauty, whereas through the grace of the Most Holy Theotokos these places become spiritual centers for all the community. It is Her Grace that gathers the faithful throughout the two-week period of Lent in the Paraklisis service during the afternoons. Despite the major deficiencies, the clergy is present in all the church communities according to the program that the Metropolitan prepares in advance in order to fulfill the worshiping needs of the believers. The Divine Liturgy is performed in all the celebrating churches which are packed with faithful like it happens during the Resurrection feast. This feast is rightly called the Summer Pascha. Numerous panegyric celebrations take place also in the monasteries of the area where liturgies and other church services were grandiosely performed.
Apart from the important urban centers such as Gjirokastra, Përmet, Saranda, Himara etc., this year, there were special panegyric celebrations even in some important pilgrimage and historical sites such as the Monasteries that are reconstructed by Archbishop Anastasios in Kosina, Dervicus, Kamenas Monastery in Delvina, that of Soronea in Saranda, Dhivri, and the Monastery of the Dormition of Theotokos in Kakome, after overcoming the difficulties caused by the abusers’ access in these properties.
The Metropolitan of Gjirokastra celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Church of St. Harallamb in Saranda, and also commemorated the anniversary of the church consecration by Archbishop Anastasios in 2011. He referred to the consecration services that the Archbishop has performed during the Feast of Dormition of Theotokos, on specific days in other church communities as well such as in Livadhia, Mesopotam and Kelcyra. So, the joy of consecration as an essential event in the life of the faithful and community gets fully transmitted. On one hand, there is a feeling of gratitude towards God and the Archbishop for the gift of building the church and on the other hand there is the joy of its consecration which they happily celebrate.
This year there was a special celebration in the newly reconstructed church in Peshtan, which was built with the funds given by a local resident. Orthodox believers and also emigrants from abroad gathered on this occasion to celebrate this festive event.
In the Metropolis of Fier
On August 15 Archbishop of Tirana, Durres and All Albania, Anastasios celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the historic monastery of Apollonia, which is named after the feast of The Dormition of Theotokos. He celebrated together with the Metropolitan of Apollonia and Fier, His Grace Nikolla and other clerics of the area, in the presence of the faithful who had come not only from the Metropolis of Fier, but also from other parts of the country. Archbishop Anastasios delivered the sermon on the occasion, while His Grace Nikolla thanked him for his presence in this celebration and the extraordinary effort he has made for the restoration and progress of our Church.
In the Metropolis of Elbasan
The Divine Liturgy on the glorious celebration of the Dormition of Theotokos feast in Elbasan was celebrated by Metropolitan Andoni in the church of St. Nicholas.
Beautiful celebrations of the feast took place in all areas of the Metropolis, such as in Grabova village in Gramsh, where the liturgy was celebrated by Fr. Mihallaq Prifti, in the presence of local faithful as well as several family groups that had come from Korça, Elbasan and Gramshi.
