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Archbishop Joan: That's when I realized that religion would be the future of my life

2025-10-22 23:22:00, Aktualitet CNA

Archbishop Joan: That's when I realized that religion would be the future

In a rare interview with journalist Blendi Fevziu on the Opinion show, Archbishop Joan revealed when he realized that religious faith was the future of his life.

The story on the Opinion show

Blendi Fevziu: What a story! Meanwhile, when did you think that religious faith would be the future of your life?

Archbishop Joan: I believe the first spark was the moment I read the gospel.

Blendi Fevziu: Since the age of 18.

Archbishop Joan: Since I read that. Not... because I had made an oath, you know, but because I didn't see any other way of living my life.

Blendi Fevziu: When did you make the decision that you would actually become a priest?

Archbishop Joan: Almost, even before baptism.

Blendi Fevziu: Before baptism?

Archbishop Joan: Always with desire, because we didn't know what would happen.

Blendi Fevziu: No, definitely not. In '80... '84 communism seemed uncontestable and unmovable.

Archbishop Joan: Even when I told others, for example, sometimes, some close friends, they looked a little surprised. What priest, where is he? They said, "Yes...

Blendi Fevziu: When you talked to your friends, did you think that communism could fall?

Archbishop Joan: The hope was always that one day, if we didn't know it would...

Blendi Fevziu: If you hadn't materialized...

Archbishop Joan: We didn't know it would happen in our lifetime or it would happen sometime later. Because I believe that evil destroys itself. It can't continue for long.

Blendi Fevziu: It depends on how you look at it, in Russia it lasted 70 or so years.

Archbishop Joan: Yes, it could last and it would still break. Yes, for a moment, yes, definitely. That thing can't hold up.

Blendi Fevziu: When did you feel that communism was falling?

Archbishop Joan: Yes, from the late 1980s.

Blendi Fevziu: You knew he was coming.

Archbishop Joan: Something was starting to move. Especially after the events in Romania, it almost became clear.

Blendi Fevziu: It was understood that it would be a matter of days or months, but it didn't even take years.

Archbishop Joan: And that's why in the '90s we left. It was me, Petro Zheji and a cousin of Petro Zheji, and he was sentenced to 17 years in prison.

Blendi Fevziu: And the three of you left together?

Archbishop Joan: For attempted escape. Yes. They were released then and we went first to Italy. From Italy then to America./ CNA