Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis told Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania Anastasios that Orthodoxy is a link between “our common cultural background.”
“The bridges that link us, the Orthodoxy which is our common cultural background, find in your face their most authentic and great expression,” Gerapetritis said during his meeting in Tirana on Friday with the Archbishop.
Gerapetritis said that Anastasios’ work in the Archdiocese of Albania for the last 32 years was extremely important, and “I believe that it really depicts what we all are feeling, a work of love, solidarity and giving on all levels”.
The minister expressed the Greek state’s full support for the Archbishop and his work and urged him to continue his selfless efforts with the same zeal and willingness “so that the Orthodox flock will always have its spiritual leader.”
Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania, born 4 November 1929, is the Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania and as such, the primate and Head of the Holy Synod of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania. He was elected in June 1992.
Professor Emeritus of the National University of Athens. Honorary Member of the Academy of Athens. Anastasios is one of the presidents of the Central Committee of the World Council of Churches. He is also the honorary president of the World Conference of Religions for Peace.
He was born in Piraeus, Greece. On 24 December 2017 he became an Albanian citizen.
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