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Historic Visit to
Church of Russia
A delegation from the Orthodox
Autocephalous Church of Albania, led by His Beatitude Anastasios, Archbishop
of Tirana, Durres and All Albania, made an official visit to the Russian
Orthodox Church on October 3-8, 1998. The delegation was warmly greeted at
the airport by two permanent members of the Holy Synod of Russia,
Metropolitan Juvaneli of Krotitski and Kolomnas and Metropolitan Kirill of
Smolensk and Kalliningrad, chairman of the Department for External Church
Relations. The Albanian delegation included His Eminence John, Metropolitan
of Korça, Fr. Jani Trebicka, Hieromonk Kosma, and Mr. Orfea Beci.
On Sunday, October 4, 1998, Archbishop
Anastasios was the main celebrant in the Divine Liturgy at St. Daniel’s
Monastery. At the end of the Liturgy, Archbishop Sergey of Salnetsnogorsk, a
permanent member of the Holy Synod, addressed His Beatitude and stressed the
deep respect the Russian Church has for Archbishop Anastasios’ historic
efforts in Albania, as well as his overall contribution to world Orthodoxy.
That evening, Patriarch Alexii II hosted the Albanian delegation for dinner.
Both primates discussed and exchanged information on the development of
their respective churches since the fall of communism, sharing how both have
risen to play significant roles in their particular societies. Patriarch
Alexii II honored Archbishop Anastasios by awarding him the Golden Cross of
St. Vladimir. On the next day, the Albanian delegation visited the medieval
town of Vladimir and the surrounding areas. The local bishop of the area,
Archbishop Eulogy, warmly guided them to famous churches, monasteries, and
church centers of the diocese.
The delegation continued visiting sites in
Moscow on Tuesday, where they saw among other impressive churches the new
Christ the Savior Church and the Kremlin cathedrals. Metropolitan Kirill,
along with Archbishop Clement of Kalouga and Borovsk, and the staff of the
Department of External Church Relations, held a morning meeting with the
delegation on Wednesday. Later that morning, the delegation received a
gracious welcome at St. Sergius’ Laura of the Trinity, where the abbot and
brethren of the monastery received the Archbishop at the Holy Gates.
There at the Theological Academy of Moscow,
the faculty officially granted Archbishop Anastasios the status of honorary
member of the Academy in recognition for his great contribution to worldwide
Orthodoxy. In his acceptance speech, Archbishop Anastasios stressed, "Our
theology is a continuous approach to the mystery of God in connection with
the world as it develops... It is our duty to think and act in the local
setting with a universal and eschatalogical perspective... We must
experience our theology as an exciting effort of thinking, freedom, and
love, as a renunciation of ourselves and a living of the cross and
resurrection, as an overflowing of gratitude and joy."
Later that evening on the eve of the feast
of St. Sergius, one of the greatest feasts for the Russian Orthodox,
Archbishop Anastasios celebrated the all-night vigil in the monastery with
dozens of hierarchs and clergy. The climax of the visit occurred on
Thursday, when Patriarch Alexii II and Archbishop Anastasios concelebrated
the Divine Liturgy at St. Sergius Laura of the Trinity, assisted by dozens
of hierarchs and clergy. Following the liturgy, a thanksgiving service was
held at the Cathedral Square. During the festive lunch held at the
Patriarchal chambers of the monastery, Patriarch Alexii II praised
Archbishop Anastasios as "not only an energetic shepherd and untiring
missionary, but also a brilliant church scholar who has passed on a
theological treasure of serious study in the field of History of Religions.
Many clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church who studied at the University of
Athens remember with gratitude your lectures of deep analysis. Your
scientific research on Islam surely helps you in your service to the
complicated inter-religious situation in Albania. The commencement of the
title as honorary member of the Theological Academy of Moscow bears witness
to the deep respect that the Russian Orthodox Church has for you as a famous
Orthodox scholar."
Archbishop Anastasios expressed his deep
gratitude for the warm hospitality given during this historic visit – a
special blessing from God – and for the loving concern that the Church of
Russia has shown. He added, "We are called to answer the challenges of our
era with prophetic vision and boldness in thinking and acting, and to offer
new proposals and inspiration in order to confront the worldwide problems
which influence the daily lives of ordinary people."
Metropolitan Juvenali and other hierarchs
and clergy escorted the delegation to the airport. This historic visit to
Russia, after the restoration of the Church of Albania, was an occasion of
joy and doxology for both churches.
Three Year Social
Outreach Programs Approved
A Roundtable Meeting, facilitated and supported
by the World Council of Churches, met in Tirana on November 5-9, 1998, to
discuss a three year social and developmental budget for the Orthodox
Church’s Diaconia Agapes office. Through this meeting, ecumenical agencies
are introduced to the diaconal work of the Church in Albania, and given
opportunities to support specific requests for the future. A three year
budget was approved which will exceed $1.3 million dollars.
The ministry of Diaconia Agapes is divided into
two general areas, diaconia programs and inner church programs. Diaconia
programs include agriculture and developmental projects in rural areas,
support of medical clinics in the cities of Kavaja, Korça, and Lushnje, as
well as a mobile dental clinic, assistance for Church nursery schools in
nine cities and villages, and aid to several non-governmental projects which
help women. Inner church programs help mainly church youth groups in 14
areas of Albania, the Church radio station in Tirana, and several national
youth projects.
During the Roundtable Meetings, the
visiting agencies discussed the proposed budget, as well as had the
opportunity to see first-hand the work which they have supported in the
past. During their four day stay, they visited the medical clinics in Tirana
and Kavaja, the Theological Academy of the Resurrection of Christ in Durres,
and the Church Radio Station in Tirana. They also visited with
representatives of various church organizations which presented their work.
Several of the roundtable representatives expressed pleasure and
encouragement in the progress they have seen in the church since their
previous visit two years ago.
Penny Panayiota Deligianis from the United
States serves as the director of Diaconia Agapes. The office of Diaconia
Agapes has been offering emergency aid, together with social and
developmental work since 1992. Ecumenical agencies which support this latest
three year program include DanChurch Aid (Denmark), HEKS (Switzerland), EZE
and Diakonisches Werk (Germany), Europe Desk and IOOC (Holland) and UMCOR
(USA).
Educational
Programs Diversify and Expand
--Boys’
Ecclesiastical High School Opens in Gjirokaster
The Holy Cross Ecclesiastical Boys High School of
the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania opened in September 1998 in
Gjirokaster. Fifty-six students from all over Albania presently attend the
school, with the majority being boarding students who stay in a church run
dormitory. The school offers classes for the first three years of high
school. Plans for adding a fourth year are scheduled for this fall.
The high school offers all state required
classes, along with specialized courses in Religious Education, Iconography,
Byzantine Music, Computer Science, and Foreign Languages. Twenty-two
part-time and full-time teachers fulfill this course load.
The purpose of the high school is to
offer a secondary education within an Orthodox Christian atmosphere. Thus,
the daily schedule for all students begins with a morning Matins service and
ends with the evening Vespers. Required classes run from 8:00 – 13:30, and
specialized classes along with extracurricular activities are offered in the
afternoon.
--New Kindergarten Opens
in Pogradec
The sixth Orthodox Church kindergarten opened its
doors on September 15, 1998 in the scenic city of Pogradec. Sixty children
presently attend the day school. This opening brings the total to more than
450 children who participate in Orthodox kindergarten programs, now located
in the cities of Tirana, Durres, Kavaja, Korca, Lushnje and Pogradec. The
Church has plans to open another three kindergartens in 1999 in the cities
of Elbasan and Saranda, and the mountain village of Gjinar. Four other
kindergartens are planed for Fier, Vlore, Berat and Shkoder over the next
two years.
The kindergartens are all staffed by
licensed Albanian nursery school teachers. Required state programs of math,
language and arts are fulfilled, along with Orthodox catechism and foreign
languages.
Ongoing training seminars are offered
periodically to all the teachers. On January 4-8, 1999, Dr. Kiki
Papavassiliou, a noted Greek educator, along with Dr. Angeliki Gena, a
licensed child psychologist, offered a four day seminar.
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