Albanian Orthodox Church

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The Orthodox Authocephalous Church of Albania has had a difficult time restablishing its life after the enforced atheism imposed in communist-ruled Albania in 1967. Albania was the only country in the world to ban personal religious beliefs. Also the use of the (Greek) language in the rituals has been seen as a threat to Albanian ethnic identity by Albanian nationalists.

Albanian nationalist Sami Frasheri wanted to see Greek elements in worship removed and Albanian used as the main language of priests and liturgy. The idea for an autocephalous church was first proposed in the Albanian newspaper in Romania, Drita ("The Light"). It was finally established by Fan Noli on April 12, 1937 when the Patriarch officially recognized it as authocephalous.

The church greatly suffered during the dictatorship of Enver Hoxha as all churches were placed under government control and land originally held by religious institutions were taken by the state. Religion in schools were banned. In 1952 Archbishop Kristofor was discovered dead; most believed he had been killed. In 1967, inspired by China's cultural revolution, Hoxha closed down all churches and mosques in the country, outlawed anything involving religious activity and went so far as to install a policy of killing or imprisonment of hundreds or priests or imams in his declaration of Albania as the first Atheist state. This had a great effect on the future of Albanian members of the Orthodox church due to the fact that by the end of the communist rule, only 22 priests remained standing and once again the church relied on the services of the Greek Orthodoxy. This also alienated many Albanians to religious activity. Only recently have these activities, such as baptismals or Sunday church attendance, seen a significant revival.

Appointed to head the newly-revived Church by the Ecumenical Patriarch in 1991 was a Greek, Metropolitan Anastasios (Yannoulatos). He was named Archbishop of Tirana on 24 June 1992 and enthroned on 2 August 1992. Though at first seen by the Albanian state as a possibly dangerous Greek nationalist, Anastasios has gained respect for his charity work and now is recognised as a spiritual leader of the Albanian society by citizens of all religions, dogmas and ethnic origins.

The Church currently has four dioceses, Tirana , Durrës and Elbasan; Berat and Kanina; Gjirokastër; and Korçë. The first bishops (metropolitans) appointed after the fall of the atheist communist regime were denied recognition by the Albanian state due to their Greek ethnic origin. The Church had to continue its reconstruction by appointing Albanian bishops of origin other than Greek.

External links

[Official Site of the Albanian Orthodox Church] (Warning: requires Flash)
[Eastern Christian Churches: Orthodox Church of Albania]
[History of the Establishment of the Church]

This article is part of the series on Eastern Christianity — Also see the [[Portal:Eastern Christianity>Eastern Christianity Portal]]

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