Albanian Church Primate calls for overcoming nationalism in Orthodoxy
The Primate of the Albanian Church speaks at a forum commemorating the anniversary of the Council of Crete. Photo: Orthodoxia News Agency
Archbishop Joan of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania called on the Local Orthodox Churches to overcome nationalism and strengthen fraternal cooperation in the interest of unity and jointly addressing pastoral challenges.
The Primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church delivered a presentation titled “The Holy and Great Council as a Witness to Unity and Shared Responsibility” at an international academic forum in France marking the 10th anniversary of the Council of Crete.
In his address, the Primate described the 2016 Council as a tangible expression of the Orthodox Church’s conciliarity, reminding the Local Churches of their responsibility to reflect on the Council’s documents and put them into practice. He emphasized the need to overcome nationalism and expressed hope that pan-Orthodox cooperation would become more regular in the future.
“Our unity finds its practical expression in how we listen, how we speak, and in our willingness to stand side by side with one another,” the Albanian Primate stressed.
Archbishop Joan also prayerfully commemorated the late Archbishop Anastasios, who made a significant contribution to preparations for the Council. He expressed hope that further study of the adopted documents would open new opportunities for strengthening pan-Orthodox dialogue.
As previously reported by the UOJ, the Albanian Primate discussed possible ways to resolve the OCU issue.
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