The Holy Synod of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania unanimously elected Metropolitan John of Korçë as the new Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and all Albania, following the passing of Archbishop Anastasios on January 25. The election marked a historic moment as John is the first Albanian cleric appointed to lead the Church in over three decades.
The election took place after the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Tirana, in accordance with the Holy Tradition and the Statute of the Church. Orthodox believers filled the cathedral and its courtyard, and in an atmosphere of joy and praise, they shouted "Axios!" (Worthy!) in approval of the election of Archbishop John. With the announcement of the election, bells in all the churches of Albania rang joyfully in honor of this occasion, Capital reported.
"With humility, obeying the divine will, I accept this high service and promise that I will faithfully fulfill my duty. I will respect the holy tradition and will strive with all my strength to defend the rights of the Church. Aware of the weight of this responsibility, I beseech Christ, the founder of the Church, to grant me enlightenment, strength, and wisdom to fulfill this mission," said Archbishop John in his brief message to the faithful, as reported by the Associated Press.
The enthronement ceremony of the new Primate will take place on March 29 at the Orthodox Cathedral in Tirana. Representatives from 13 sister Orthodox Churches and hundreds of believers are expected to attend the event. Shqiptarja confirmed the details of the upcoming ceremony.
Archbishop John, known in the world as Fatmir Pelushi, was born in 1956 in Korçë, where he later served as Metropolitan after his enthronement in 1998. During the years of dictatorship, he worked at the Psychiatric Hospital of Tirana while secretly practicing his faith. In 1979, amidst religious persecutions, he was secretly baptized by Father Kosmas, later Bishop of Apollonia, and received the name John.
In 1990, following the collapse of the communist regime, Archbishop John moved to the US, where he studied theology at the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Boston. His studies were funded by a scholarship established by the Albanian community in America in memory of Bishop Fan Noli. He graduated with 'High Distinction' in Master of Theological Studies in 1993 and continued his postgraduate studies, reflecting his academic achievements.
After completing his studies, Archbishop John returned to Albania at the invitation of Archbishop Anastasios to contribute to the reconstruction of the Orthodox Church. He was ordained deacon and priest in 1994 by Archbishop Anastasios and began teaching at the Theological Academy. In 1996, he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite and appointed director of the Theological School of Durrës.
In 1998, he was elected Metropolitan of Korçë, serving for 27 years before his election as Archbishop. Throughout his ministry, John contributed to the reconstruction of the Orthodox Church in Albania and the strengthening of the Church's charitable activities. BalkanWeb noted his contributions to the Church.
Archbishop John has contributed to theological education, serving as a lecturer and dean at the Theological Academy. He has translated several theological books into Albanian, including "On the Holy Spirit" by Basil the Great, and authored the first Dogmatics text in Albanian, which is used as the official publication of the Orthodox Church in Albania.
In 2000, he founded and continues to direct the magazine Tempulli, featuring contributions from well-known intellectuals, researchers, and specialists in Albanology. The magazine has become a publication in the fields of study and culture, according to Panorama.
His efforts in promoting interfaith dialogue, coexistence, and patriotic education have been recognized. Archbishop John has been honored with titles for his contributions to culture, education, and interfaith dialogue, including being declared an Honorary Citizen of the Korça District in 2003 and receiving the title of Honorary Doctor from the University of Korçë in 2018.
"The Church found its father; there is no house without a father. Today the Church, with unanimous voting, all members entrusted their vote to His Beatitude, Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and all Albania, His Grace John. They entrusted the helm of the Church to him. The Church found its father, teacher, and chief shepherd," said Father Nikolla Kodheli, a priest at the Orthodox Cathedral.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.
