{"id":17873,"date":"2012-09-13T11:38:47","date_gmt":"2012-09-13T11:38:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orthodoxalbania.org\/2020\/?p=17873"},"modified":"2025-10-02T23:45:19","modified_gmt":"2025-10-02T21:45:19","slug":"17873","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orthodoxalbania.org\/2026\/en\/2012\/09\/13\/17873\/","title":{"rendered":"The Holy Synod"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Brief History (1992 – present)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

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\u2022 In 1998, the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania was reformed by God\u2019s grace. On July 18, 1998, His Beatitude Anastasios, Archbishop of Tirana, Durres and all Albania led the ceremony of the Enthronement of His Beatitude Ignatios<\/a>, as Metropolitan of Berat, Vlora and Kanina in the church of St. Spyridon in Berat. There were present also two representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, His Eminence Evangelos, Metropolitan of Perge and His Eminence the most Reverend Meliton, Metropolitan of Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

On the same day, Archbishop Anastasios and Metropolitan Ignat formed the first nucleus of the Holy Synod of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania, and together with the other two representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate held an extraordinary meeting of the Holy Synod in Tirana. In this meeting Archimandrite Joan Pelushi was elected as Metropolitan of Korca. He had previously been a professor and dean of the Resurrection of Christ Theological Academy in Durres. Whereas the most Reverend Father and Ikonom, Kozma Qirjo was elected as Bishop of Apollonia as well as Assistant Bishop to the Archbishop. He represented the older generation of priests who, during the miserable years of religious persecution, heroically and secretly conducted baptisms and performed the Divine Liturgy.<\/p>\n

On July 20, 1998, the ordination to Episcopal rank of His Eminence and Metropolitan of Korca took place in the Annunciation of Theotokos Church in Tirana and the ceremony was performed by Archbishop Anastasios and the above Metropolitans. Whereas the enthronment ceremony took place in Korca on 25 July 1998 in the Life-giving Spring Metropolitan Church.<\/p>\n

On July 23, 1998, His Eminence, Kozma, Bishop of Apollonia was ordained to episcopal rank by Archbishop Anastasios and all the members of the Holy Synod in the church of Annunciation of Theotokos in Tirana.<\/p>\n

And Protopresbyter Jani Trebicka was appointed in the position of the General Secretary of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania.<\/p>\n

\u2022 On August 11, 2000, His Eminence Kozma fell asleep in the Lord, leaving vacant the position of the Bishop of Apollonia.<\/p>\n

\u2022 From 3 to 4 November 2006 at the Monastery of St. Vlash in Durres, the Clergy-Laity Assembly of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania was specifically gathered. It consisted of 257 members, who examined every article and unanimously accepted the new statute of the Church. On November 6, the Holy Synod of the Church met to approve the new statute of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania.<\/p>\n

\u2022 At the meeting of the Holy Synod dated November 11, 2006, three archimandrates of our Church were ordained to the Episcopal rank: Dhimit\u00ebr Sinaiti, Nikolla Hyka and Andon Merdani.<\/p>\n

Archimandrite Dhimit\u00ebr<\/a> Sinaiti was appointed Metropolitan of Gjirokastra, in the Metropolis of which he had served for 15 years as a substitute. Archimandrite Nikolla Hyka was appointed Bishop of Apollonia and Archimandrite Andon Merdani was appointed Bishop of Kruja. They belong to the new generation of clergy who were educated in the Resurrection of Christ Theological Academy at St.Vlash in Durres. The two bishops were appointed also assisstant bishops of the Archbishop.<\/p>\n

On November 16, 2006, the ordination to Episcopal rank of His Eminence and Metropolitan of Gjirokastra Dhimiter<\/a> took place in the church of Annunciation of Theotokos in Tirana and it was performed by Archbishop Anastasios and all members of the Holy Synod. Whereas the enthronment ceremony took place on November 26 at the church of the Archangels. His Eminence, Metropolitan of Gjirokastra, Dhimitrios passed away in the lord on 28 June 2025.<\/p>\n

On November 19 and November 21, 2006, in the church of Annunciation of Theotokos in Tirana the ordination to episkopal rank of two other Eminences took place: Nikolla, Bishop of Apollonia and Andon, Bishop of Kruje.<\/p>\n

Following the proposal of the Clergy-Laity Council, as determined by the New Statute of our Church, the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania at its meeting dating on January 19, 2012, chose two new entitled bishops. On the basis of the New Statute of the Orthodox Church of Albania (Articles 17, 18), the Holy Synod unanimously decided to appoint Archimandrite Nathaniel Lavrioti as Bishop of Amantia, and Archimandrite Asti Bakallbashi as Bishop of Bylis. The two entitled bishops who are also assistants to the Archbishop, are members of the Holy Synod with full rights.
\nThe ordination ceremony to episkopal rank of His Eminence, Nathaniel, Bishop of Amantia and His Eminence Asti, Bishop of Bylis was performed by Archbishop Anastasios and the members of the Holy Synod at the Annunciation of Theotokos in Tirana, on January 21 and January 22, 2012.The two bishops cover certain sectors of life of the Church: His Eminence Nathaniel has undertaken the supervision of the wealth of monasteries and his Eminence Asti is responsible for the Apostolic Service of the Church.<\/p>\n

On 11 and 12 March 2016, the Clergy-Laity Assembly of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania, which consisted of 280 members, met at the New Monastery of St. Vlash in Durres, under the headship of His Beatitude Anastasios, Archbishop of Tirana, Durres and all Albania. It reviewed and unanimously approved the completion and improvement of certain provisions of the Statute of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania, in which, among other issues, there was highlighted the creation of two new Metropolises of Apollonia and Elbasan.<\/p>\n

On April 7, 2016, the Holy Synod was met to approve the amendments of the Statute of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania. The Holy Synod decided the establishment of two new metropolises: a) The Holy Metropolis of Apollonia and Fieri, which involves the areas of Patos and Libofshe, and which were separated from the Metropolis of Berat, Kanina and Vlora b) The Holy Metropolis of Elbasan, which involves the areas of Elbasan, Shpati and Librazhdi, and which were separated from the Archdiocese of Tirana and Durres. In accordance with the Statute and upon the proposal of the Clergy-Laity Church Council, decisions were taken to fulfill the vacancies in the above newly created Metropolises by regular ballot. His Eminence Nikolla (Hyka), also Bishop of Apollonia was elected as head of the Metropolis of Apollonia and Fieri. And His Eminence Andon (Merdani), also Bishop of Kruje was elected as head of the Metropolis of Elbasan. His Eminence, Nathanail (Stergiou), Bishop of Amantia was elected to the grade of Metropolitan of Amantia. Finally, the relevant messages were delivered at the Holy Trinity Chapel of the Synod Center of the Church.<\/p>\n

On Saturday, April 16, the enthronment ceremony of His Eminence Nikolla, Bishop of Apollonia and Fieri took place at the Cathedral of St. George in Fieri. Whereas on Sunday, April 17, the enthronment ceremony of His Eminence Andon, Bishop of Elbasan took place at the church of St. Nicholas, in Elbasan.<\/p>\n

On July 20, 2024, the Metropolitan of Berat, Vlora & Kanina His Eminence Ignatios<\/a>, passed away at the age of 89, after serving with dedication for more than two decades as the head of the flock entrusted to him.<\/p>\n

After his passing, the Holy Synod convened on November 14, 2024, at the seat of the Holy Archdiocese in Tirana, under the presidency of Archbishop Anastasios, to elect the new Metropolitan at the head of this Metropolis. According to the Statute, the meeting of the Clerical-Laity Council preceded the Holy Synod\u2019s session, during which proposals were presented.<\/p>\n

With unanimous votes, the Synod elected His Eminence Asti as Metropolitan of Berat, Vlora, and Kanina, who had previously served as Bishop of Byllis. His enthronement took place on November 21, 2024, at the Cathedral of Saint Demetrios in Berat.<\/p>\n

On December 9, 2024, the Holy Synod gained a new bishop, His Grace Anastas (Mamaj), who was elected unanimously by all members of the Synod as an auxiliary bishop to Archbishop Anastasios and Titular Bishop of Kruja. His enthronement took place on December 15, 2024, at the “Resurrection of Christ” Cathedral in Tirana.<\/p>\n

On March 16, 2025, His Eminence Metropolitan John of Kor\u00e7a was unanimously elected Archbishop of Tirana, Durr\u00ebs, and All Albania, succeeding the late Archbishop Anastasios.<\/p>\n

On September 16, 2025, His Eminence Nathanail was unanimously elected Metropolitan of Gjirokast\u00ebr by the Holy Synod of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania under the presidency of His Beatitude, Archbishop Joan. Until his election, Mr. Nathanael had served as Titular Metropolitan of Amantia since 2016, while for many years he also held the position of Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod and was responsible for the care of the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Tirana. His enthronement took place at the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Gjirokast\u00ebr.<\/p>\n

On September 16, 2025, His Eminence Anastasi was unanimously elected Metropolitan of Kor\u00e7\u00eb by the Holy Synod of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania, under the presidency of His Beatitude, Archbishop Joan.\u00a0 His enthronement took place on September 27, 2025, at the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Kor\u00e7\u00eb.<\/p>\n

With these changes, the Holy Synod of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania consists of:<\/p>\n