11th Anniversary of the Consecration Service of the Cathedral "Resurrection of Christ"/ Archimandrite and Archdeacon Elected

2025-06-01 15:12:00, Aktualitet CNA

11th Anniversary of the Consecration Service of the Cathedral "Resurrection

Today, June 1, 2025, at the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, in Tirana, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated on the occasion of the 11th anniversary of the Consecration Service of the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Tirana. The Divine Liturgy was presided over by the Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and all Albania, His Beatitude Ioannis.

Also present were the Metropolitans of Apollonia and Fier, His Grace Nikolla, of Elbasan, His Grace Andoni, of Berat, His Grace Asti, of Amantia, His Grace Nathanaili, Bishop of Kruja Anastasi, and clergy of the Archdiocese. Archbishop Joan spoke to the faithful, who had filled the cathedral, about the importance of this significant day.

June 1, 2014, is an anniversary with multiple and always relevant meanings. It is the return to the center of the capital of the Orthodox spiritual "eye", from which it was forcibly uprooted by the atheist regime.

This day is the final and clearest affirmation of the return of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church to the bosom of the universal Orthodox Church, as an equal among equals. This was unequivocally witnessed by the participation in the Divine Liturgy of June 1, 2014, of all Orthodox Churches. The services were presided over by the Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew, in conjunction with Their Beatitudes, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos; of Serbia, Irineu; of Romania, Daniel; the Archbishop of Cyprus, Chrysostom; of Greece, Jerome; the Archbishop of Albania, Anastasius; the Archbishop of Poland, Sava. Their Graces the Metropolitans, representatives of the Patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch, Russia, Bulgaria, and Georgia also shared in the communion. During it, the Ecumenical Patriarch would affirm that: “We have been brought together today by this great and historic event: the Ceremony of the consecration of the Holy Church of the Resurrection, which also confirms the resurrection of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church in Albania… For those who do not believe in Jesus Christ, the resurrection seems like a myth. But we have the experience of the Resurrection, which is both reality and our biomatic experience.

In this sense, the consecration of this magnificent Church, the Cathedral of the Resurrection, constitutes today a proof that the Resurrection is reality, that the Orthodox Church of Albania, which was once dead due to atheist persecutions, is now alive, full of life and creativity.

This event is living testimony to the extraordinary achievements of our Autocephalous Orthodox Church in these years of miraculous and unprecedented revival from the ruins, which is dedicated to the extraordinary work of Blessed Archbishop Anastasios.

The Cathedral complex is a magnificent architectural and artistic work, the nave filled with frescoes and mural icons in progress, the "Nativity of Christ" chapel, the magnificent bell tower, etc., or the wonderful spaces of the Cultural Center, such as the large performance hall, which has become a favorite choice for artistic activities and not only in the capital, the Synodal Center, etc. The complex has also become one of the permanent stops for tourists visiting the capital.

On this day, Archbishop John elevated Father Ignat Todrin to the rank of Archimandrite and Hierodeacon Johan Korovesh to the rank of Archdeacon.

After the Liturgy, Archbishop John, together with the Members of the Holy Synod, clergy and believers, performed the Divine Liturgy near the resting place of Blessed Archbishop Anastasios.