Primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church enthroned in Tirana

On March 29, 2025, the enthronement of the Primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Archbishop John, took place at the Resurrection Cathedral of Tirana. The event was attended by representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches, religious organizations of the country, the President of Albania and top officials of the state. This was reported by the official website of the Albanian Church.

It is reported that the enthronement began with the solemn entry of the newly elected Primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church into the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Tirana. Then, Bishop Anastasios of Kruja read out the district message of the Holy Synod of the Albanian Church on the election of the new Archbishop, and Metropolitan Nicholas of Apollonia and Fieria handed the crosier of the Primate to his elected brother.

The enthronement was attended by the President of the Republic of Albania, Bairam Begaj, the Speaker of the Albanian Parliament, Elisa Spiropali, the Minister of Defense of Greece, Nikos Dendiyas, and the Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Albania, Alexei Zaitsev.

The enthronement was attended by the Local Orthodox Churches: Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon (Patriarchate of Constantinople), Metropolitan Seraphim of Zimbabwe and Angola (Patriarchate of Alexandria), Metropolitan Ignatius of France, Western and Central Europe (Patriarchate of Antioch), Archbishop Nektarios of Anfidon (Jerusalem Patriarchate), Metropolitan Gerasim of Zugdidi and Tsaishi (Georgian Orthodox Church), Patriarchal Exarch of Western Europe, Metropolitan Nestor of Korsun and Western Europe (Russian Orthodox Church), Metropolitan Theodosius of Raska Prizren and Metropolitan Arseny of Niš (both Serbian Orthodox Church), Metropolitan Nifon of Tirgoviste (Romanian Orthodox Church), Metropolitan Seraphim of Neurokop and Metropolitan Gregory of Vratsa (both of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church), Bishop Christopher of Karpasia (Orthodox Church of Cyprus), Metropolitan Justin of Neakrynia and Kalamaria, Metropolitan Athanasios of Sisania and Syatistia, Metropolitan Nectarios of Kerkyra, Metropolitan Kallinik of Kastoria (all of the Greek Orthodox Church), Bishop Pavel of Hajnow (Polish Orthodox Church), Archbishop George of Michalov and Kosice (Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia), Metropolitan Josip of Tetovo and Gostivar and Bishop Jacob of Shtip (both of the Macedonian Orthodox Church) and Bishop Nikodim of Boston (Orthodox Church in America).

Recently, the Primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Archbishop John, spoke out on the Ukrainian church issue. The first hierarch drew attention to the fact that the creation of the OCU split world Orthodoxy, noting that the Synod of the Albanian Church had expressed its position on this issue and it remains unchanged.