TIRANA, Jan 30 /ATA/ The funeral ceremony for Archbishop Anastas Yanulatos, the Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and all of Albania, took place on Thursday at the “Resurrection of Christ” Cathedral in Tirana, where he was laid to rest.
His All-Holiness Bartholomew, the Ecumenical Patriarch, also attended the funeral ceremony. In his speech, he praised the character and contributions of Archbishop Anastas in reviving the Orthodox Church in Albania.
“A sorrowful duty has gathered us today in the capital of Albania. The mighty pillar of the Orthodox Church in Albania has fallen. Archbishop Anastas of Tirana, Durrës, and all of Albania has passed away to join the Lord. Though his old age and deteriorating health had prepared us for his inevitable departure from this world, the loss of such a spiritual Father and Church Leader brings profound grief,” said Bartholomew.
Bartholomew went on saying that Archbishop Anastas was a servant of the miracle, the one who revived the Orthodox Church in Albania after the dark and oppressive era of organized atheism and the severe persecution Christians endured under the atheist regime.
“When the regime fell and the opportunity to rebuild the Church arose, the Holy Mother Church, the Patriarchate of Constantinople, began searching for a man with exceptional qualities—someone who could take on the daunting task of saving the ship, battered by the storms. This person needed to embody virtue, wisdom, determination, a warrior spirit, tireless work, diplomatic skill, international recognition, unwavering faith in the holy mission, commitment to sacred traditions, and a profound love for the suffering people of God,” said Bartholomew.
He stated, “All of these qualities were present in the then titular Metropolitan of Andros, an exceptional individual who had distinguished himself in his mission in Africa and gained a respected reputation in the academic world. Through his dedication and wisdom, he became a prominent and highly respected figure in the Church in the finest way possible.”
“The late Anastas was born in Piraeus, and from his youth, he dedicated himself wholeheartedly to internal missionary work, teaching thousands of young people devotion to God. His life was a miracle from God. His mother, a woman of unwavering faith, firmly rejected the advice of doctors to undergo an abortion, as she suffered from tuberculosis, and they considered death inevitable for both her and the child she carried. Fortunately, this was not the case, and the child she brought into the world became an exceptional man, who, after 95 years of a distinguished life, now rests here before us, having fulfilled a glorious ecclesiastical and human mission,” said Bartholomew.
He further stated that Anastas had a deep passion for knowledge and distinguished himself as an exceptional scholar of religious studies, introducing the Orthodox world to Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and African religions.
“Through this work, he made a significant contribution to building a deeper understanding with other faiths that now live alongside us and in fostering relationships of coexistence and mutual respect.”
His great love was undoubtedly external missionary work, to which he devoted the most beautiful years of his youth. He laid strong foundations, trained outstanding clergy at all levels of the priesthood, and elevated the name and image of the Patriarchate of Alexandria,” said Bartholomew.
He stated that, “Since the Church of Albania was declared autocephalous, it has gone through a turbulent history, largely due to political factors. However, its greatest tragedy came when the atheist regime decided to eradicate religion by persecuting the clergy, removing them from their roles, banning all liturgical practices, and transforming the Church into a persecuted entity.”
“In 1991, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, fulfilling its duty to care for all Churches in distress, called Archbishop Anastasios and sent him to Albania to lay new foundations and bring the message of resurrection to the suffering Orthodox people of this country,” he said.
Furthermore, Bartholomew emphasized that after a year and a half, Archbishop Anastasios had demonstrated excellent work in reviving the Church, and on June 24, 1992, he was elected and installed as the Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and all of Albania.
“His pastoral service was not smooth; he led the Church through narrow paths and great challenges, often walking on the edge of a sword. However, he had the grace to find the right collaborators to open paths where it seemed all roads were closed, and to find the necessary resources to resurrect the Church from the ashes,” said Bartholomew.
Bartholomew concluded his speech by emphasizing, “Anastas, both as a personality and as Archbishop, is undoubtedly irreplaceable! His loss is a profound shock for the local Church. However, we are confident that his prayers, along with the intercessions of all the saints of Illyria, will help in the selection of the most worthy and suitable successor for his throne. The Mother Church, the Patriarchate of Constantinople, will warmly embrace whoever the new Archbishop may be, and will always stand by him, ready to support him in every need of the Autocephalous Church of Albania.”
/j.p/sm/
