News from Orthodoxy in Albania
News from
Orthodoxy in Albania
Occasional Publication of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania
Number 9 – January 2, 1999
Articles in this Issue:
Historic Visit to Church of Russia
Three-Year Social Outreach Program Approved
Educational Programs Diversify and Expand
A delegation from the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania, led by His Beatitude Anastasios, Archbishop of Tirana, Durres and All Albania, made an official visit to the Russian Orthodox Church on October 3-8, 1998. The delegation was warmly greeted at the airport by two permanent members of the Holy Synod of Russia, Metropolitan Juvaneli of Krotitski and Kolomnas and Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kalliningrad, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations. The Albanian delegation included His Eminence John, Metropolitan of Korça, Fr. Jani Trebicka, Hieromonk Kosma, and Mr. Orfea Beci.
On Sunday, October 4, 1998, Archbishop Anastasios was the main celebrant in the Divine Liturgy at St. Daniel’s Monastery. At the end of the Liturgy, Archbishop Sergey of Salnetsnogorsk, a permanent member of the Holy Synod, addressed His Beatitude and stressed the deep respect the Russian Church has for Archbishop Anastasios’ historic efforts in Albania, as well as his overall contribution to world Orthodoxy. That evening, Patriarch Alexii II hosted the Albanian delegation for dinner. Both primates discussed and exchanged information on the development of their respective churches since the fall of communism, sharing how both have risen to play significant roles in their particular societies. Patriarch Alexii II honored Archbishop Anastasios by awarding him the Golden Cross of St. Vladimir. On the next day, the Albanian delegation visited the medieval town of Vladimir and the surrounding areas. The local bishop of the area, Archbishop Eulogy, warmly guided them to famous churches, monasteries, and church centers of the diocese.
The delegation continued visiting sites in Moscow on Tuesday, where they saw among other impressive churches the new Christ the Savior Church and the Kremlin cathedrals. Metropolitan Kirill, along with Archbishop Clement of Kalouga and Borovsk, and the staff of the Department of External Church Relations, held a morning meeting with the delegation on Wednesday. Later that morning, the delegation received a gracious welcome at St. Sergius’ Laura of the Trinity, where the abbot and brethren of the monastery received the Archbishop at the Holy Gates.
There at the Theological Academy of Moscow, the faculty officially granted Archbishop Anastasios the status of honorary member of the Academy in recognition for his great contribution to worldwide Orthodoxy. In his acceptance speech, Archbishop Anastasios stressed, "Our theology is a continuous approach to the mystery of God in connection with the world as it develops… It is our duty to think and act in the local setting with a universal and eschatalogical perspective… We must experience our theology as an exciting effort of thinking, freedom, and love, as a renunciation of ourselves and a living of the cross and resurrection, as an overflowing of gratitude and joy."
Later that evening on the eve of the feast of St. Sergius, one of the greatest feasts for the Russian Orthodox, Archbishop Anastasios celebrated the all-night vigil in the monastery with dozens of hierarchs and clergy. The climax of the visit occurred on Thursday, when Patriarch Alexii II and Archbishop Anastasios concelebrated the Divine Liturgy at St. Sergius Laura of the Trinity, assisted by dozens of hierarchs and clergy. Following the liturgy, a thanksgiving service was held at the Cathedral Square. During the festive lunch held at the Patriarchal chambers of the monastery, Patriarch Alexii II praised Archbishop Anastasios as "not only an energetic shepherd and untiring missionary, but also a brilliant church scholar who has passed on a theological treasure of serious study in the field of History of Religions. Many clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church who studied at the University of Athens remember with gratitude your lectures of deep analysis. Your scientific research on Islam surely helps you in your service to the complicated inter-religious situation in Albania. The commencement of the title as honorary member of the Theological Academy of Moscow bears witness to the deep respect that the Russian Orthodox Church has for you as a famous Orthodox scholar."
Archbishop Anastasios expressed his deep gratitude for the warm hospitality given during this historic visit – a special blessing from God – and for the loving concern that the Church of Russia has shown. He added, "We are called to answer the challenges of our era with prophetic vision and boldness in thinking and acting, and to offer new proposals and inspiration in order to confront the worldwide problems which influence the daily lives of ordinary people."
Metropolitan Juvenali and other hierarchs and clergy escorted the delegation to the airport. This historic visit to Russia, after the restoration of the Church of Albania, was an occasion of joy and doxology for both churches.
Three Year Socia l Outreach Program Approved
A Roundtable Meeting, facilitated and supported by the World Council of Churches, met in Tirana on November 5-9, 1998, to discuss a three year social and developmental budget for the Orthodox Church’s Diaconia Agapes office. Through this meeting, ecumenical agencies are introduced to the diaconal work of the Church in Albania, and given opportunities to support specific requests for the future. A three year budget was approved which will exceed $1.3 million dollars.
The ministry of Diaconia Agapes is divided into two general areas, diaconia programs and inner church programs. Diaconia programs include agriculture and developmental projects in rural areas, support of medical clinics in the cities of Kavaja, Korça, and Lushnje, as well as a mobile dental clinic, assistance for Church nursery schools in nine cities and villages, and aid to several non-governmental projects which help women. Inner church programs help mainly church youth groups in 14 areas of Albania, the Church radio station in Tirana, and several national youth projects.
During the Roundtable Meetings, the visiting agencies discussed the proposed budget, as well as had the opportunity to see first-hand the work which they have supported in the past. During their four day stay, they visited the medical clinics in Tirana and Kavaja, the Theological Academy of the Resurrection of Christ in Durres, and the Church Radio Station in Tirana. They also visited with representatives of various church organizations which presented their work. Several of the roundtable representatives expressed pleasure and encouragement in the progress they have seen in the church since their previous visit two years ago.
Penny Panayiota Deligianis from the United States serves as the director of Diaconia Agapes. The office of Diaconia Agapes has been offering emergency aid, together with social and developmental work since 1992. Ecumenical agencies which support this latest three year program include DanChurch Aid (Denmark), HEKS (Switzerland), EZE and Diakonisches Werk (Germany), Europe Desk and IOOC (Holland) and UMCOR (USA).
–Boys’ Ecclesiastical High School Opens in Gjirokaster
The Holy Cross Ecclesiastical Boys High School of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania opened in September 1998 in Gjirokaster. Fifty-six students from all over Albania presently attend the school, with the majority being boarding students who stay in a church run dormitory. The school offers classes for the first three years of high school. Plans for adding a fourth year are scheduled for this fall.
The high school offers all state required classes, along with specialized courses in Religious Education, Iconography, Byzantine Music, Computer Science, and Foreign Languages. Twenty-two part-time and full-time teachers fulfill this course load.
The purpose of the high school is to offer a secondary education within an Orthodox Christian atmosphere. Thus, the daily schedule for all students begins with a morning Matins service and ends with the evening Vespers. Required classes run from 8:00 – 13:30, and specialized classes along with extracurricular activities are offered in the afternoon.
–New Kindergarten Opens in Pogradec
The sixth Orthodox Church kindergarten opened its doors on September 15, 1998 in the scenic city of Pogradec. Sixty children presently attend the day school. This opening brings the total to more than 450 children who participate in Orthodox kindergarten programs, now located in the cities of Tirana, Durres, Kavaja, Korca, Lushnje and Pogradec. The Church has plans to open another three kindergartens in 1999 in the cities of Elbasan and Saranda, and the mountain village of Gjinar. Four other kindergartens are planed for Fier, Vlore, Berat and Shkoder over the next two years.
The kindergartens are all staffed by licensed Albanian nursery school teachers. Required state programs of math, language and arts are fulfilled, along with Orthodox catechism and foreign languages.
Ongoing training seminars are offered periodically to all the teachers. On January 4-8, 1999, Dr. Kiki Papavassiliou, a noted Greek educator, along with Dr. Angeliki Gena, a licensed child psychologist, offered a four day seminar.
Historical archive bulletin. Source: http://www.orthodoxalbania.org:80/nb9.htm — Wayback 20001001011331.