Albanian Archbishop: First in Orthodoxy does not mean supreme

Archbishop Joan. Photo: UOJ

In an interview with UOJ-USA, Archbishop Joan, Primate of the Orthodox Church of Albania, spoke about the nature of Orthodox unity and how the Orthodox Church should respond to today’s challenges – including the conflict between Constantinople and Moscow.

Asked about growing pressure in the Orthodox world – with each Church increasingly expected to choose between Constantinople and Moscow – Archbishop Joan said there should be no “sides” at all.

“One side is always the Truth with Christ. But there are different opinions, and we have to solve this through love and through dialogue. If you create ‘sides,’ you create a war,” he warned.

The archbishop stressed that Orthodoxy is not a federation of national Churches, though this is often forgotten.

“There is no separate Greek Church, Russian Church, Romanian Church, or Albanian Church. There is one Orthodox Church – in Albania, in Russia, in Greece, in Romania, wherever,” the primate said.

The Church does not deny ethnicity or national identity, he added, but it is unacceptable to view everything through the prism of nationalism.

Despite any disagreements, breaking communion is a mistake, Archbishop John said.

“There has never been a time in history when everyone thought the same way. Even at the Ecumenical Councils, decisions were made by majority – not everyone agreed. We will always have discussions. But still we have to be together,” he said.

Speaking about the primacy of Constantinople in world Orthodoxy, Archbishop John cited the position of his predecessor, Archbishop Anastasios: to be the protos means to be the first among equals, because the second and the third are inasmuch "major" as the protos. All Churches are equal; otherwise the Church will lose control and unity.

“Unity always requires humility, truth, and love,” the archbishop concluded.

According to Archbishop Joan, the Albanian Church has consistently upheld this position. Archbishop Anastasios sent letters to all the Churches written in a spirit of love, setting out what he believed to be true while remaining open to dialogue. That, Archbishop John said, is how the Orthodox Church of Albania has responded – and continues to respond – to all contemporary challenges.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the Albanian archbishop had commented on his position regarding the OCU.

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