The Resurrection Atmosphere in Diocese of Gjirokastra

      Also this year, the brightness of Resurrection was in all areas of Holy Diocese of Gjirokastra. The Holy Week and especially the Resurrection service was filled with emotions and with majesty. The joy of this feast involved the whole Orthodox community and the entire population, as it happens with great celebrations of the Orthodox Church.

The Resurrection service, as never before filled the Churches with people inside and outside, not only in the cities but in the villages as well. Everywhere that it was possible, the priests of our Church, together with priests that came from Greece to help for these days, held the services of Holy Week and the service of the Resurrection in most of the parishes.

This year, it was noticed that in services of the Church were also many emigrants. Their participation, with so much devotion in the service of the Resurrection, added a more blissful atmosphere. Those days were really filled with a warm spiritual atmosphere, which was fulfilling with the joy of the Resurrection.

In the mystery of the Holy Sacrament many people took part; young people, children and old people as well, with the emotions of the events and the passions that every believer experienced, made the event more glorious.

This atmosphere is a result of the hard work of the priests, which worked with devotion, in cities and in the villages all around the diocese. In all Churches after the service of the Resurrection continued the Divine Liturgy in which took part many believers. The warm atmosphere of the Resurrection filled the spirits and the hearts of all faithful people, everywhere in Gjrokastra, Saranda, Himara, Përmet but also in different villages.

The service of Epitaph once again moved out in the streets with believers from both parishes in Gjrokastra. According to the ritual that now has become a tradition, people were gathered in the central square, showing the city in another light. The Litany of Epitaph was beautiful in Saranda as well, where the lights of the candles filled the seashore and the square of the city the night of Holy Friday.

The celebration of the Resurrection in Përmet, in the Church of the “Nativity of the Virgin Mary”, in the square of the city, but also in other Churches, gathered hundreds of believers. At the moment of the Resurrection, the place appeared as a shining point for the entire area around.

The place was filled with psalms: “Krishti u ngjall së vdekurësh…” and “Kristos anesti ek nekron...” in both languages, Albanian and Greek, during that night, but also in the following days. It is a beautiful tradition in most of our villages that people for the Bright Week, go to different monasteries which are in our area, but also even in chapels around the place as well.

Celebration of the feast of Saint George was another great feast on Monday with much vivacity, because many Churches in our diocese celebrate with this saint, which is a continuation of the atmosphere of Easter. The television transmission of the great service of the Resurrection in the Cathedral of “Evangelization of the Virgin Mary”, was attended from all believers of our diocese, guided from His beatitude Archbishop of Tirana and all Albania, Anastasios.

In all Churches of the diocese of Gjirokastra, the message of Easter from Archbishop Anastasios was read.

Correspondent of Ngjallja

Translated by Ana Kërçyku and Christine Pappas