Metropolitan Ioannikios of Montenegro Visited the Albanian Orthodox Church

Metropolitan Ioannikios of Montenegro and Primorsky of the Serbian Orthodox Church paid an official visit to Albania, where he visited the Metropolis of Gjirokastra. According to Orthodox Times, the trip strengthened the long-standing spiritual ties between the two local churches.

On Sunday, September 6, 2026, Metropolitan Ioannikios presided over the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in the city of Gjirokastra. Metropolitan Nafanail of Gjirokastra also participated in the service, praying alongside his guest throughout the liturgy.

At the conclusion of the Liturgy, the hierarchs exchanged commemorative gifts, emphasizing the importance of the traditionally close and cordial relations between the Orthodox communities of Serbia and Albania. As part of the visit, the metropolitans also visited the Church of St. Paraskevi in the village of Terihat, which is a significant place of pilgrimage in the region.