His Beatitude Archbishop John, born Fatmir Pelushi in Tirana, Albania on January 1, 1956. In his youth, during the period of relentless religious persecution, he discovered the Orthodox Christian faith and was secretly baptized (1979) by the heroic priest Fr. Kosmas Kyrios, who later became the Bishop of Apollonia. He then joined a small underground group of the Church which operated secretly.
From 1979 to 1990, he worked in the occupational therapy rehabilitation department of the Psychiatric Hospital of Tirana. His father had already been labeled an enemy of the regime since 1944, and the regime persecuted all religious communities.
In 1990, he fled to Italy and then to Boston, USA, where he studied theology at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, with a scholarship from the Albanian community. In 1993, he received a Master of Theological Studies (MTS) degree with High Distinction.
In 1992, when Albanians were fleeing the country en masse, he expressed his desire to contribute to the reconstruction of the Church of Albania and informed Archbishop Anastasios of his decision to return. Encouraged warmly by the Archbishop, he was appointed as a professor at the Theological Academy of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania in September of that year.
On February 27, 1994, he was ordained a deacon, and on December 4 of the same year, he was ordained a priest. In 1995, at the encouragement of Archbishop Anastasios, he continued his postgraduate theological studies at the Holy Cross School of Theology in Boston. Excelling in his studies (1995-1996), his name was included in the National Dean’s List among the best students of all higher education institutions in the USA. In 1996, he was granted the title of Archimandrite, and in 1997, he obtained a Master of Theology degree with High Distinction.
From 1996 to 1998, he served as the Dean of the Theological Academy of the Orthodox Church. In 1998 he was elected and consecrated as Metropolitan of Korçë, being enthroned on July 20, while continuing his teaching duties.
His advanced knowledge of English, French, Italian, and Greek, as well as his familiarity with Latin and Hebrew, facilitated his work in translating significant theological and patristic texts into Albanian. Among these, he translated St. Basil the Great’s doctrinal treatise On the Holy Spirit. Additionally, he authored the first Dogmatics textbook in Albanian, which became an official publication of the Orthodox Church.
In 2000, he founded and has since directed the academic periodical Tempulli (The Temple), which has become a widely respected scholarly journal, featuring articles by well-known intellectuals, researchers, and Albanologists from Albania and abroad.
He has represented the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania in numerous inter-Orthodox meetings. For a decade, he participated in the preparatory committees for drafting the texts of the Holy and Great Council of Crete (2016). He has also been a member of significant working groups within the World Council of Churches, particularly the Joint Working Group which drafted the defining document for cooperation between the World Council of Churches and the Roman Catholic Church. For many years, he has represented the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania in the important bilateral dialogues between the Orthodox Churches and the Roman Catholic Church, as well as between the Orthodox Churches and the Ancient Oriental Orthodox Churches.
In the city of Korça, he contributes to social, educational, and cultural advancement, consistently fostering the spirit of peaceful coexistence among religious communities. On his initiative, a daily food service has been operating for 27 years to support the city’s less fortunate residents.
Honors and Awards
On July 23, 2003, he was declared an “Honorary Citizen of the Korça Region” for his exceptional contribution to fostering religious tolerance and understanding.
On August 18, 2008, the Korça City Council honored him as an “Honorary Citizen” for his outstanding services in the revival of faith and his many humanitarian and social works.
On July 23, 2018, Fan S. Noli University of Korça awarded him the title of Doctor Honoris Causa.
On May 29, 2019, the Municipality of Tirana honored him with a “Certificate of Gratitude”, recognizing him as a figure of national and international significance.
Since 1998, he has been shepherding with devotion the historic and highly significant Metropolis of Korça, which also includes the regions of Pogradec, Devoll, and Kolonjë.
On March 16, 2025, His Beatitude, the Metropolitan of Korçë, Joan, was elected by unanimous vote as Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and all Albania, succeeding the late Archbishop Anastasios. He was enthroned on March 29 at the “Resurrection of Christ” Cathedral in Tirana.
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