Georgian Patriarch Ilia congratulates new head of Albanian Orthodox Church

Patriarch Ilia of Georgia. Photo: Georgian Church website

Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II, sent a congratulatory message to the newly elected Metropolitan Ioannis of Tirana and Archbishop of All Albania.

In his message, Patriarch Ilia II, on behalf of the Georgian Orthodox Church and himself personally, warmly congratulated Archbishop Ioannis on his election as the Primate of the Albanian Church.

"May the Lord grant you health, longevity, spiritual strength, and wisdom to fulfill the great responsibility entrusted to you so that you may become a worthy successor to the labors of His Beatitude Anastasios," the message reads.

The Patriarch expressed hope that during Metropolitan Ioannis’s tenure, the ties between the Churches would be further strengthened and that his archpastoral ministry would be fruitful, bringing spiritual joy both to his flock and to all of Orthodoxy.

"May our Lord Jesus Christ and the Most Holy Theotokos help you," Patriarch Ilia II concluded, signing the letter as Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi, and Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazia.

Earlier, UOJ reported that the World Council of Churches congratulated the new Albanian Primate.

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