Albanian Orthodox Church facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania
*Kisha Ortodokse Autoqefale e Shqipërisë*
Seal
Primate	Archbishop Anastasios of Albania
Bishops	6
Priests	135
Parishes	909
Monasteries	150
Language	Albanian Greek (in southern parts)
Headquarters	Resurrection Cathedral, Tirana, Albania
Territory	Albania and Albanian diaspora
Founder	Theofan Stilian Noli
Independence	17 September 1922
Recognition	Autocephaly recognised in 1937 by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Separated from	Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople
Members	500,000-700,000-800,000 (claimed), number much higher when diaspora is considered.

The Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania (Albanian: Kisha Ortodokse Autoqefale e Shqipërisë), also known as the Albanian Orthodox Church, is a Christian church that governs itself. This means it is "autocephalous" – it has its own head and doesn't report to another church leader. It is part of the larger Eastern Orthodox Church.

The church declared its independence in 1922. The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, a very important leader in the Orthodox world, officially recognized it in 1937.

During World War II and the time of Communist Albania, the church faced many difficulties. Especially after 1967, when Albania became an atheist state, people were not allowed to practice any religion.

Since 1991, when religious freedom returned, the church has grown again. Over 250 churches have been fixed or rebuilt, and more than 100 priests have been trained. Today, the church has 909 local communities (parishes) across Albania. It has about 500,000 to 550,000 followers, and even more if you count Albanians living in other countries.

History
Administration and Holy Synod
Gallery
See also

History

For many centuries, Christians in Albania were under the authority of the Bishop of Rome. But around 732-733 AD, their church leadership moved to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. The Great Schism of 1054 was a major split that divided Christianity into two main branches: Catholicism and Orthodoxy. In Albania, this led to a Catholic north and an Orthodox south.

Orthodox Church during the Ottoman Period

During the time of the Ottoman Empire, the Orthodox Christian population in Albania was generally tolerated. They were part of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. However, by the late 1700s, the Orthodox Church in Albania faced challenges. There was poverty, a lack of educated priests, and church services were often not in Albanian. These issues made it harder for Orthodox Albanians to keep their faith, and some converted to Islam.

By the mid-1800s, many Albanians became Muslim. This was partly because of new rules that made non-Muslims serve in the military.

Movement for an Independent Albanian Orthodox Church

Bust of Naum Veqilharxhi, a key figure in the Albanian National Awakening.

In the 1800s, Orthodox Albanians often had their church services and schooling in Greek. This was because Greek was a common language in the southern parts of the country. Some Orthodox Albanians wanted to be part of a Greek state, while others wanted Albania to be its own country.

The idea of a separate Albanian church grew because some Albanians felt that the Greek church was trying to make them more Greek. This led to a desire to highlight a unique Albanian culture. Even though Orthodox Christians were a minority in Albania, the movement for Albanian independence actually started among them. They worked with Muslim Albanians for shared goals.

Important figures like Fan Noli believed that an Albanian Orthodox Church would help stop the process of Hellenization (becoming more Greek) among Orthodox Albanians. In 1905, a priest named Kristo Negovani began using Albanian in church services for the first time. Sadly, he was murdered for this.

Flag of the Albanian Orthodox Church

In 1907, an event in the United States, known as the Hudson incident, further pushed the idea of an Albanian church. An Orthodox Greek priest refused to hold a funeral for an Albanian immigrant because he was involved in Albanian nationalist activities. This made the Albanian Orthodox community in America decide to form their own church under the leadership of Fan Noli.

On March 18, 1908, Fan Noli became a priest in the United States. He held the first Orthodox church service in the Albanian language for Albanian-Americans. Noli also worked hard to translate church texts into Albanian.

Becoming Self-Governing (Autocephaly)

Bishop Fan Noli, who helped establish the Albanian Orthodox Church.

After Albania gained independence in 1912, Fan Noli returned home. He played a big part in setting up the Albanian Orthodox Church. On September 17, 1922, the first Orthodox Congress in Berat officially created the Albanian Orthodox Church and declared it self-governing (autocephalous). Fan Noli became the Bishop of Korçë and the head of the church in Albania. This was seen as a very important step for Albanian national unity.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople officially recognized the Albanian Orthodox Church's independence in 1937.

Over the years, the church's rules (statutes) were updated. In 1950, a new rule required the church's head to be an Albanian citizen. This rule was later changed in 1993, so the head of the church no longer had to be an Albanian citizen.

Archbishops

The head of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania is called the Archbishop of Tirana and Durrës. The current Archbishop is Anastasios of Albania.

No.	Name	Term in office
Unrecognised Autocephaly (1929 – 1937)
1	Vissarion (1890–1965)	20 February 1929	26 May 1936
1	Vissarion (1890–1965)	7 years, 3 months and 6 days
Recognised Autocephaly (1937 –)
2	Kristofor (1881–1958)	12 April 1937	25 August 1949
2	Kristofor (1881–1958)	12 years, 4 months and 13 days
3	Paisi (1881–1966)	25 August 1949	4 March 1966
3	Paisi (1881–1966)	16 years, 6 months and 7 days
4	Damian (1886–1973)	April 1966	13 November 1967
4	Damian (1886–1973)	9 months and 16 days
Vacant during Communist Era (1967 – 1992)
5	Anastasi (1929)	11 July 1992 - 1 June 1993 - 22 July 1993	Incumbent
5	Anastasi (1929)	32 years, 11 months and 3 days

Persecution

The church suffered greatly under the dictatorship of Enver Hoxha. All churches were put under government control, and religious land was taken by the state. Teaching religion in schools was forbidden. In 1967, Hoxha closed all religious buildings and declared Albania the world's first atheist country. No one was allowed to express their religion, either publicly or privately. Hundreds of clergy members were killed or put in prison. As a result, about 600 Orthodox churches were destroyed.

Revival of the Church

When communist rule ended and religious freedom was restored, only 22 Orthodox priests were still alive. To help the church recover, the Ecumenical Patriarch appointed Anastasios as a special leader for the Albanian Church. Anastasios was chosen in 1992 and officially took his position in August 1992. He has gained a lot of respect for his charity work and is now seen as a spiritual leader for the Orthodox Church in Albania.

Many Orthodox communities have been re-established in cities and villages. Church services, sermons, and religious education have grown, with more priests and regular church members taking part. Several groups have been formed to help the church, including Orthodox Women and Orthodox Intellectuals. The church's renewed spiritual strength is helping Albanian society as a whole.

Most church services use the Albanian language. In areas where there are Greek minorities, Greek is also used in services.

New Clergy and Education

The church has trained a new generation of priests. Anastasios started a seminary (a school for training priests) in 1992. It moved to its own buildings in Shën Vlash in 1996. By 2011, there were 145 clergy members, all Albanian citizens, who had graduated from the Resurrection of Christ Theological Academy. This academy also trains people for other church activities.

Some students continue their religious education at universities abroad. Two high schools for boys, called "Holy Cross," were also opened in Gjirokastër and Sukth of Durrës.

New and Reconstructed Churches

In Durrës, a church built between 1994 and 2002

So far, 150 new churches have been built, and over 160 churches and 60 monasteries have been repaired. Many other buildings have been built or fixed for different uses, such as preschools, schools, youth centers, health centers, and workshops. In total, there have been about 450 building projects.

The Orthodox Church helps Albania's economy by creating jobs for builders and workers. Since 1995, the church has also offered courses in church architecture, teaching young people about building and designing churches.

Media and Publishing

The Orthodox Church of Albania has its own radio station called "Ngjallja" (Resurrection). It broadcasts spiritual, musical, news, and educational programs 24 hours a day, including special shows for children.

The church also publishes a monthly newspaper, Ngjallja, a children's magazine Gëzohu ("Rejoice"), and a youth magazine Kambanat ("Bells"). They also have a student bulletin, a news bulletin in English, and other magazines with cultural, social, and spiritual articles.

By February 2008, the church had published over 100 books on religious, spiritual, and academic topics.

Social Activities

The Orthodox Church in Albania has started many social projects. It began with healthcare, opening "The Annunciation" Orthodox Diagnostic Center in Tirana in 1999. This center offers modern health services in 23 different areas. The church also runs four medical clinics and a mobile dental clinic. Its "Service of Love" office helps train midwives and nurses.

The church has provided a lot of humanitarian aid during times of crisis in Albania, like in 1992, 1994, and 1997. They collected and gave out thousands of tons of food, clothing, and medicine. They also supported many social programs, including:

Helping with farming and agriculture in mountain areas.
Building roads and improving water supplies.
Health education programs for children.
Building rural health centers and helping schools, orphanages, hospitals, and homes for the elderly.
Providing support for prisoners, sports grounds, and soup kitchens for the poor.

In 1999, when many refugees from Kosovo came to Albania, the church ran a large humanitarian program. They hosted 33,000 Kosovars in two camps, providing them with food, clothes, and medical care.

Besides the two church high schools, the church has also opened three elementary schools, 17 day-care centers, and two professional training institutes. These institutes teach skills like computer science, medical lab work, and art restoration. In Gjirokastër, they also run an orphanage and a high school dormitory for girls.

An environmental program was started in 2001.

The church has an Office of Cultural Heritage to care for Orthodox buildings that are national monuments. They have also organized choirs, including a Byzantine choir that has released music. A workshop for restoring and painting icons helps train new artists. The church also supports academic publications, documentary films, and art exhibits.

The Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania is an active member of global Orthodox and inter-faith organizations. It works for peace and cooperation in the region and worldwide.

Administration and Holy Synod

Seats of the Albanian Orthodox Bishops

The Holy Synod of Bishops is the main governing body of the church. It was created in 1997 and includes:

Archbishopric of Tirana-Durrës: Archbishop Anastasios of Albania (since 1992), who leads the Holy Synod.
Metropolis of Berat, Kaninë and Vlorë: Ignati of Berat (since 1997).
Metropolis of Korçë: Joan Pelushi (since 1999).
Metropolis of Gjirokastër, Sarandë and Himarë: Dhimitër of Gjirokastër (since 2004).
Metropolis of Elbasan, Shpat and Librazhd: Andon (since 2017).
Metropolis of Apollonia and Fier: Nikolla of Apollonia (since 2014).
Metropolis of Amantia: Nathanail (since 2017).
Titular Diocese of Byllis: Asti of Byllis (since 2012).
General Secretary Protopresbyter: Fr. Jani Trebicka.

Gallery

Church in Berat
Church in Korçë. The Albanian Orthodox Flag Can be Seen Flown on the left Tower.
Orthodox church in Pogradec
Orthodox cathedral in Durrës
Dormition of the Theotokos Church, Labovë e Kryqit
Saint Nicholas in Mesopotam
Ardenica Monastery in Ardenica
St. Michael's Church, Berat
Resurrection Cathedral, Tirana
Church Synod