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"Sunday of the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Synod"/ Archbishop Joan: Faith is not negotiated, it is lived!

2026-05-24 13:27:00, Aktualitet CNA

"Sunday of the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Synod"/ Archbishop

At the "Resurrection of Christ" Cathedral in Tirana, on Sunday, May 24, 2026, the Divine Mass dedicated to the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Synod was held, under the leadership of the Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania, His Beatitude Ioannis, in conjunction with the Bishop of Amantia, His Grace, Mr. Ignat.

In his speech, Archbishop John conveyed the message on the importance of preserving the Orthodox Christian faith, focusing particularly on the historical role of the Fathers of the First Ecumenical Synod, gathered in Nicaea in 325.

The Archbishop emphasized that the Church commemorates the Synod Fathers precisely between the feast of the Ascension of the Lord into Heaven and Pentecost, because they clearly formulated the apostolic faith, without creating a new faith.

"They did not invent a new doctrine, but clarified what Christ had revealed to the apostles," he said.

Bringing to mind the figure of Arius, the priest from Alexandria who denied the full divinity of Christ, the Archbishop recalled the danger that the Arian heresy posed to the unity of the Church and the Empire itself.

He described how Arius, through rhetoric, pride, and manipulation, managed to spread his doctrine throughout the East, even through popular songs with theological content.

In this context, he appreciated the decisive role of the First Ecumenical Synod, convened by Emperor Constantine the Great, where 318 Holy Fathers condemned the Arian heresy and laid the foundations of the Symbol of Faith.

The Archbishop also brought the examples of great saints who participated in the Synod, such as Saint Nicholas and Saint Spyridon, recalling the well-known miracle of the brick of Saint Spyridon as a symbol of the mystery of the Holy Trinity.

A significant part of the sermon was devoted to the danger of pride and division within the Church. Archbishop John emphasized that heresies arise not only from doctrinal error, but also from selfishness and personal ambition.

"Whoever divides the body of Christ commits an extremely great sin," he said, recalling the words of Saint Cyprian that schism is a grave wound to the life of the Church.

He emphasized that the Christian faith is not a product of human reason or individual interpretations, but a truth revealed by God himself.

"We do not come from knowledge to faith, but from faith we pass to knowledge," he quoted Saint Augustine, underlining that divine mysteries are understood through spiritual experience and the grace of God.

The Archbishop then focused on the salvific importance of the correct doctrine about Christ. According to him, if Christ were not true God and true man, then the salvation of humanity would not be possible.

"Faith is not just a theory, but a way of life and the path to salvation," he declared.

Referring to the challenges of modern times, the Archbishop warned of tendencies towards subjective interpretation of the Gospel and the deformation of the Church's teaching according to personal desires.

He recalled that "the Gospel is the word of God and does not change," calling for humility, obedience to the Church, and a deepened spiritual life.

At the end of the sermon, Archbishop John focused on the prayer of Christ in the Gospel of John, describing it as one of the most moving parts of Holy Scripture. He invited the faithful to read this prayer constantly, as a source of strength, enlightenment, and spiritual protection.

"The Holy Spirit has not departed from the Church. Despite attempts to divide or distort it, there will always be people who will defend the truth," the Archbishop concluded, calling for wisdom, humility and fidelity to the Church's sacred tradition./ CNA





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