Short Biography of Auxiliary Bishop Anastas of Kruja
Auxiliary Bishop Anastas of Kruja (born Enkeled Mamaj) was born on August 6, 1979, in Vlora, Albania, where he completed his primary and secondary education.
In 1999, he began his studies in the Department of Greek Language at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Athens. He later graduated from “Ismail Qemali” University in Vlora, earning a Master’s degree (MSc) in Business Administration (2001-2005).
Between 2005 and 2009, he held significant positions at the Italo-Albanian Bank, and from 2009 to 2017, he served in leadership roles at Union Bank.
Simultaneously, from 2006 to 2014, he was a member of the Clergy-Laity Council of the Orthodox Church of Albania and a close associate of the late Metropolitan Ignat of Berat, Vlora, and Kanina, until the latter’s passing.
In 2017, he began his theological studies at the Resurrection of Christ Theological Academy and later at the Department of Theology and Culture at LOGOS University College, earning a Bachelor’s degree (BSc) in Social Theological Studies and Religious Sciences in 2023.
He was ordained as:
- Deacon on January 22, 2018, by His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania
- Priest on October 20, 2019
- Archimandrite on August 9, 2020
Since 2017, he has contributed to the management of church property and economic activities of the Church of Albania. He currently serves as:
- Executive Director of the LOGOS University Institution
- Representative of Archbishop Anastasios in the Executive Council
- Member of the Administrative Council of the “Evangelismos” Orthodox Clinic Foundation
- Advisor at the “Spirit of Love” Educational Institution
- Protosingelos of the Archdiocese of Tirana and Durrës (since December 3, 2023)
In addition to his native Albanian, he speaks Greek, Italian, and English.
