After a long battle for his health and many days of hospitalization at the "Evangelismos" hospital, in Athens, where doctors and nursing staff did all humanly possible, Archbishop Anastasios of Albania passed away a few hours ago, at the age of 95. His work and contribution have been enormous.
HDN Newsroom
After several days of hospitalization at the "Evangelismos" hospital, Archbishop Anastasios of Albania passed away on Saturday at the age of 95.
The news of his death was made known by the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania, which said in a statement that "the late Archbishop Anastasios was the restorer and renovator of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania, which he literally raised from ruins after the fall of the atheist regime.
With his inspired vision and tireless work, he fundamentally rebuilt church life, erected hundreds of churches, established educational and charitable institutions and raised a new clergy, offering uninterrupted sacrificial ministry for more than 33 years.
His memory is eternal!"
His life and work
The Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania Anastasios (Giannoulatos) was born on November 4, 1929, in Piraeus.
He was a graduate of the B' Gymnasium for Boys of Athens and after completing his circular courses, he studied at the Theological School of Athens of the National and Kapodistrian University where he received his degree in 1952.
In 2000 he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and has been honored with many awards and decorations of various countries and Orthodox Churches
Along with his theological studies, he was involved with Orthodox youth organizations.
With Blessed Christodoulos whom he visited when he was already gravely ill
In 1959 he founded and directed the first missionary magazine in Greece entitled Porefthentes, and three years later the "Inter-Orthodox Missionary Center", from which began the Greek-speaking missionary awakening in the 20th century.
In 1960 he was ordained Deacon and Elder and in 1964 he was ordained Archimandrite.
At the same time, he began missionary excursions to Africa and mainly to Uganda.
There he learned the local dialects, but was forced to retire when he contracted malaria.
He then pursued postgraduate studies at the Philosophical Faculties of the University of Hamburg and Marburg in Germany (1965-1969) as a scholar of the German Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, in religion, ethnology and missionary.
He also held a mandate to teach Modern Greek language and literature at the University of Marburg in Germany (1966-69).
After his return to Athens he organized and directed the Inter-Orthodox Missionary Center "Porefthentes" as well as the Interorthodox Center of the Church of Greece in Athens (1971-1975). His contribution was soon recognized with his ordination as bishop of Androussa in 1972.
In the same year he was appointed extraordinary professor of History of Religion at the University of Athens, from which he retired in 1997 when he was named professor emeritus.
At the same time, he developed scientific activity.
In 1981, after fully restoring his health, he departed again for Africa, this time as Metropolitan of East Africa. His jurisdiction there included Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, where he did enormous work regarding the operation of the Church there.
After 10 years he returned to Athens.
He was elevated to Metropolitan of Androussa (Aug. 1991 – June 1992) and elected Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania (June 24, 1992).
In the midst of enormous difficulties, he managed to fundamentally reconstruct the Autocephalous Church of Albania. It formulated a new Charter (2006).
With a formal Agreement with the Government of Albania, which became law of the State (2009), the relations between Church and State were determined.
More than 400 parishes were formed. He founded the Theological-Priestly School (Academy) "Anastasis" in Durres (1992), the Ecclesiastical Lyceum "Timios Stavros", in Argyrokastro (1998) and in Sukth-Durres (2007-18); the School of Byzantine Music in Tirana (2012). All operate in privately owned complexes with boarding schools.
He formed and ordained 168 new clergy. He established Youth Centers in various cities. He took care of the translation effort, the publication of liturgical and other religious books. He established a Technical Service of the Church and took care of the reconstruction of 150 new churches (large and small), restored 60 churches and monasteries-cultural monuments and repaired 160 churches and 70 ecclesiastical buildings for schools, youth centers, health centers, hostels, workshops, soup kitchens for the poor, etc., in a total of 450 buildings.
He took care of the creation of Church workshops (printing house, candle shop, carpentry, hagiography and icon restoration workshops).
He fought for the claim of church property.
Along with the reconstitution of the Orthodox Church, he developed pioneering programs in the fields of education, health, social welfare, rural development, culture and ecology. He founded the Orthodox Clinic "Evangelismos" (Diagnostic Medical Center) with 24 specialties and three polyclinics in other cities.
Also the Institute of Vocational Training, with six specialties in Tirana and four specialties in Gjirokastër (which operated from 1998-2008).
He took care of the construction of schools, roads, aqueducts, bridges, repair of public schools, etc.
During the period 2013 – 2019, the construction of three hydroelectric projects with a total capacity of 19 MW (Librazhd, Llenge, Sllabinja) took place, which contribute to the strengthening of the country's infrastructure and have a clear social purpose.
With their revenues, the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania will continue its spiritual, charitable and educational efforts. After the repayment of the loans, a percentage will be allocated to poorer Orthodox Churches.
He played a leading role in the modern revival of Orthodox foreign mission, developed extensive missionary and social work and was recognized as a "Grand Benefactor of the Patriarchate of Alexandria (2009).
As Archbishop of Albania, he managed, despite enormous difficulties, to reconstitute the dissolved Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania for 23 years.
In 2000 he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and has been honored with many awards and decorations of various countries and Orthodox Churches, such as the Silver Medal of the Academy of Athens (1987), the Grand Cross of the Order of Honor of the Hellenic Republic (1997), the Athenagoras Human Rights Award (2001, New York). He was also an honorary member of the Academy of Athens.
