Albanian Archbishop discusses peace restoration in flashpoints with the Pope
Pope Leo and Archbishop Ioannis. Photo: Press Service of the Albanian Church
On October 31, 2025, Archbishop Ioannis of Albania met with Pope Leo in Rome. The historic meeting took place as a private audience following the Primate’s participation in the international gathering “Dare for Peace” (Osare la pace), organized by the Sant’Egidio Community.
The central topic of their conversation was the importance of restoring peace and ending wars that afflict the modern world. Pope Leo and Archbishop Ioannis discussed a range of shared concerns regarding the Church’s role in fostering peace amid ongoing global tensions.
Particular attention during the meeting was given to the youth, who, as both leaders highlighted, are not only the future but also the present of society. The spiritual leaders underscored the need to care for the younger generation in this era of upheaval.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Albanian Primate had discussed the situation in Ukraine with the Chairman of the ROC Department for External Church Relations.
Read also
Christian series "The Chosen" sets world record for being most widely-translated
The streaming series The Chosen , which explores the life of Jesus and his disciples, has broken its own Guinness World Record for being the most widely-translated series of all time.
US Secretary of Defense to the Army: God extends His arms over you
Pete Hegseth stated that American military personnel are "no longer defenders" but warriors "trained to destroy the enemy."
MP demands answers from Rivne authorities over UOC charity event
Bobrovska expressed outrage that city officials allowed the Rivne Eparchy of the UOC to hold a charity festival that raised money for children with cancer.
In U.S., Archbishop of Albania leads Divine Liturgy on Triumph of Orthodoxy
The Primate of the Albanian Church served in Massachusetts and called for visible unity among Orthodox jurisdictions.
Phanar backs common Easter date with Catholics and Protestants
Theologians of the Patriarchate of Constantinople have proposed revising calendar practice and bringing the celebration of Easter closer to the Western tradition.
DESS congratulates Ukraine’s Jews on Purim
The State Service for Ethnopolitics and Freedom of Conscience addressed Ukraine’s Jewish community on the occasion of Purim.