Enthronement of the new Primate of Albanian Church takes place

Enthronement of the new Primate of the Albanian Church, Archbishop Ioannis, March 29, 2025. Photo: UOJ

On March 29, 2025, the official enthronement of the new Primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church, Archbishop Ioannis (Pelushi), took place at the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Tirana, reports a UOJ correspondent.

The ceremony was attended by delegations from Autocephalous and Local Orthodox Churches, as well as officials from the governments of Albania, Greece, and other countries.

Speaking on behalf of the Holy Synod, Metropolitan Nikolla of Apollonia and Fier emphasized that Archbishop Ioannis will continue to “preserve religious harmony and coexistence,” following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Archbishop Anastasios, who revived the Church in the country after the fall of communism.

“The Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania wishes to live in peace with everyone,” said the newly elected Primate, adding that religious coexistence must be “protected and further enriched.”

President of Albania Bajram Begaj stated that the ceremony carried a message “that goes beyond faith, calling all citizens of goodwill to build a more just, more modest, more united, and brotherly society.”

As the UOJ previously reported, on March 16, 2025, a session of the Holy Synod of the Albanian Orthodox Church was held in Tirana, during which Metropolitan Ioannis (Pelushi) of Korçë was elected as the new Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania. Archbishop Ioannis is the second primate of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania since the fall of the communist regime.

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