Honoring the Life and Legacy of the Late Archbishop Anastasios of Albania

By Anastasios Gordon Sekandi – updated at 23:43 Wednesday 29 January 2025

Archbishop Anastasios, a pivotal figure in global Orthodoxy, passed away at the age of 95. Since 1992, he led the Albanian Orthodox Church, playing a crucial role in its revival after decades of suppression under communist rule.

Find Jesus at the door of your heart and you will discover paradise. St. John Chrysostom

His Beatitude, Archbishop Anastasios of All Albania. Courtesy Photo.

(HICGI) – On Sunday, January 26, thousands of mourners gathered at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens to pay their final respects to Archbishop Anastasios. With deep reverence, they lit candles and offered prayers in his memory. Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens led a solemn Trisagion prayer, honoring Archbishop Anastasios’ extraordinary legacy in the Orthodox Church and his profound impact on Albanian society.

Archbishop Anastasios of Albania at the headquarters of the Albanian Orthodox Church, October 14, 2013. Courtesy Photo.

Archbishop Anastasios led the Albanian Orthodox Church for nearly 33 years, guiding its remarkable revival after decades of suppression. The Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania passed away on January 25 at the age of 95 in Athens, Greece, where he had been hospitalized since January 3.

During the communist era, Albania became the world’s first officially atheist state, enshrining atheism in its constitution and imposing one of the harshest crackdowns on religious communities. Today, Albania is predominantly Muslim (56%, based on 2011 census data), with a significant Catholic minority (10%) and around 7% identifying as Orthodox Christians—though the Orthodox Church contends its true numbers are higher.

As Archbishop of Tirana and All Albania, Anastasios commanded immense moral and intellectual respect within the Orthodox world. His influence extended beyond the Church, earning him widespread admiration. In 2015, his popularity was so great that Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras offered him the presidency of Greece—an honor he graciously declined.

Biography
He was born on November 4, 1929, in Piraeus, Greece. He graduated from high school in 1947 with the highest honors (199/11) and earned a Bachelor of Divinity from the Theological School of the University of Athens in 1952, achieving the highest honors (9.53)—the highest score ever awarded by the school.

From 1965 to 1969, he pursued postgraduate studies in the History of Religions, Ethnology, Missions, and Africanology at the Universities of Hamburg and Marburg in Germany. For the final two years of his studies, he was awarded the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Foundation scholarship. In 1970, he earned a Doctorate of Theology (Th.D) from the National University of Athens, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a special distinction.

During his military service (1952–1954), he attended the Reserve Officers’ Schools on the island of Syros and at the MB Signals School in Chaidari, ranking first in both and earning the title of “Head of School.”

His academic and research pursuits took him across the world, where he studied various religious traditions—including African religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Islam—within their cultural and historical contexts. His travels included Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Korea, Japan, China, Brazil, the Caribbean, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, and Turkey.

In addition to Modern and Ancient Greek, he was fluent in English, French, and German. He also had a working knowledge of Latin, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Kiswahili, and Albanian.

Academic Contributions

Archbishop Anastasios has had a distinguished academic career:

Lecturer, Modern Greek Language and Philology – University of Marburg, Germany (1966–1969)

Founder & Director, Center of Missionary Studies, University of Athens (1971–1976)

Founder & Director, Inter-Orthodox Center of Athens, Church of Greece, Penteli (1971–1976)

Associate Professor, History of Religions, National University of Athens (1972–1976)

Full Professor, National University of Athens (1976–1992)

Director, Department of the Science of Religions and Sociology (1983–1986)

Dean, Theological Faculty and Member of the Senate (1983–1986)

Vice President, Student Club (1978–1979)

Chairman, Commission of Solidarity in the Cypriot Struggle (1975–1984)

Member, Research Committee, University of Athens (1986–1990)

Administrative Director, Council of the Center for Mediterranean and Arabic Studies (1978–1982)

Corresponding Member, Academy of Athens (1993–2005), later Honorary Member

Honorary Degrees and Recognitions

He has been awarded numerous honorary doctorates (Th.D. h.c. and Ph.D. h.c.) from prestigious institutions worldwide, including:

Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, USA (1989)

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece (1995)

St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, USA (2003)

Craiova University, Romania (2006)

Pontifical University of South Italy (2009)

Fordham University, USA (2014)

University of Ioannina, Greece (1996)

University of Athens, Greece (1998)

University of Piraeus, Greece (2001)

University of Patras, Greece (2003)

Boston University, USA (2004)

University of Cyprus (2010)

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki’s highest distinction, “Golden Aristotle” (2018)

Church and Social Service

In Greece

As a lay theologian (1952–1960), Archbishop Anastasios worked extensively in Christian missions, preaching, catechism, Bible studies, and youth programs. He pioneered the revival of Orthodox missionary work (1959) and founded the Orthodox missionary center Porefthentes.

He was ordained as:

Monk – Monastery of the Holy Incorporeal Taxiarchs (Petraki), Athens (1960)

Deacon (1960)

Priest-Archimandrite (1964)

Bishop of Androussa, as General Director of “Apostoliki Diakonia” (1972)

He actively promoted external missions, supporting missionary efforts in Korea, India, and Africa, and launched the External Mission Week.

In East Africa (1981–1991)

As Locum Tenens (Acting Archbishop) of Irinoupolis (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania), he:

Founded and directed the Patriarchal School “Archbishop Makarios III of Cyprus”

Ordained 62 African clergy and 42 catechists from eight tribes

Translated the Holy Liturgy into four African languages

Built over 150 churches, seven missionary centers, schools, and medical stations

Recognized as a “Great Benefactor” of the Patriarchate of Alexandria (2009)

In Albania (1991–present)

Entrusted by the Ecumenical Patriarchate with rebuilding the Orthodox Church of Albania after 46 years of persecution, Archbishop Anastasios:

Drafted a new Charter (2016) and secured official recognition from the Albanian government (2009)

Reorganized over 400 parishes

Established the Theological Academy “Resurrection of Christ” (1992) and several other schools

Ordained 168 clergy and established Youth Centers

Oversaw 450 building projects, including churches, monasteries, schools, hospitals, and social centers

Founded the Orthodox newspaper Ngjallja (“Resurrection”), a radio station, and publishing workshops

Beyond ecclesiastical restoration, he initiated pioneering programs in education, healthcare, rural development, and environmental sustainability. He founded the Orthodox Medical Center “Annunciation”, vocational training institutes, and several schools.

In 2013–2019, he spearheaded the construction of three hydroelectric plants (19 MW total) to ensure financial sustainability for the Church’s mission.

Humanitarian and Peace Efforts

During the Kosovo crisis (1999), he organized humanitarian aid for 33,000 refugees. He played a key role in Greek-Albanian reconciliation and broader Balkan peace efforts.

For his lifetime contributions, he was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize (2000) by 33 academics from the Academy of Athens and numerous Albanian scholars.

Conclusion

Archbishop Anastasios has been a visionary leader, theologian, missionary, and humanitarian. His work has transformed the Orthodox Church of Albania into a spiritual, educational, and social beacon while fostering peace and dialogue in the Balkans and beyond.