Archbishop Anastasios, who revived the Orthodox Church in the Muslim-majority died at the age of 95.
According to Reuters, the Orthodox Church of Albania announced that the head of the church, Anastasios, died in the hospital on Saturday, January 25, 2025, after suffering from a seasonal virus.
He was admitted to a hospital in Tirana early in December 2024 due to flu, but after his condition got worse, he was flown to Evangelismos Hospital in Athens for better treatment.
The church statement read, “His Grace, Archbishop Anastasios, was the rebuilder and revitalizer of the Albanian Orthodox Church, which was literally raised from the ruins after the fall of the atheist regime. He rebuilt church life from the ground up, built hundreds of churches, established educational and charitable institutions, and formed a new generation of clergy, providing unending and sacrificial service for more than 33 years.”
Anastasios played a key and historic role in reviving an independent branch of the Eastern Orthodox Church in Albania after becoming the leader in 1992.
Moreover, Albanian President Bajram Begaj, while paying his tribute to Anastasios, called him a “spiritual leader and a distinguished personality” and said, “His Grace’s legacy will remain alive in the hearts of those honouring and loving him.”
People gathered outside the Orthodox Cathedral in Tirana to mourn over the great loss and lit candles while church bells rang out in memory of Anastasios.
