Meeting and collaboration with Archbishop Anastasios/His Beatitude: His vision was to build a solid local church

2025-10-23 08:23:00, Aktualitet CNA

Meeting and collaboration with Archbishop Anastasios/His Beatitude: His vision

The Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and all of Albania, His Beatitude, Joani, in an interview given for the show "Opinion", spoke about the figure of the late Archbishop Anastasios.

His Beatitude recalled his first meeting with Archbishop Anastasios, a meeting that took place in 1992 in Boston. Further, His Beatitude, Joani, indicated that he was one of Archbishop Anastasios' collaborators, a collaboration that lasted for 33 years.

Archbishop Joan also focused on the moment of his ordination as Bishop, a moment he said was a day of great joy for Archbishop Anastasios.

Focusing on the life and work of Archbishop Anastasios, His Beatitude said that his vision was to build a solid local church.

Fevziu : You came to office after the passing of Archbishop Anastasios and for a long time you were considered one of his collaborators and students. How has the Archbishop influenced you personally?

Archbishop : Every great man through his example, life, work, and word influences, we all influence each other in different ways. The Archbishop and I met in 1992 in Boston. At school, we had a professor who later became Archbishop of America of the Greek Archdiocese, Dimitri Vrestrenos, who was almost the same age as the Archbishop and had been in a very long friendship since before. He told me that someone had come who would be a blessing to your church. He told me about his life and in 1992 I contacted him. I told him that as soon as I finished my studies, I would return. He was happy when I told him this and when I came here, we started and for 33 years we have been together and with other collaborators.

I was among the first because I was also the first Albanian Bishop to surrender, and it was a day of great joy for the Archbishop.

Fevziu: I was also surprised when I saw the fact that an Albanian came and was ordained as a bishop. It was pretty big and positive news after an absence of many, many years.

Archbishop Joan : I have seen his life up close, the great efforts he made to establish a church. His vision was to build a solid local church./ CNA