FLASH NEWS
Albania is silent about the Archbishop! Why?
2025-01-11 12:22:29 / IDE
While in Greece, the politicians, the media and the public are expressing bitterness about the health condition of Archbishop Janullatos, the reaction in Tirana is weak, if not non-existent.
This contrast is not simply a matter of culture or empathy, but is closely related to the history of the Albanian Autocephalous Orthodox Church and Albanian-Greek relations.
By 1992, after 25 years of communist atheism, where religions were banned and churches destroyed, Albanians expected their archbishop to be a figurehead, in line with the spirit of autocephaly proclaimed by Fan Noli in 1922.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Istanbul entrusted the revival of the Orthodox Church to Anastas Janullatos. In public, there was a promise that he would be a temporary solution until a local leader was found. However, over the years, temporality was interpreted as " temporary like all people in this world".
For some, the arrival of the archbishop was not seen as a help or contribution to the revival of faith, but as a move that strengthened the Greek influence in Albania. This sensitivity, reinforced by issues such as church property and tensions over the Greek minority, has cast a shadow over Janullatos's work, despite his undeniable achievements in organizing the Orthodox Church.
Janullatosi has played an important role in the reconstruction of the religious and social infrastructure of the Orthodox Church in Albania, establishing schools, hospitals and aid centers. But, for many Albanians, he has not managed to become a figure that symbolizes the autocephaly of the Church. On the contrary, his strong support from the Greek state authorities has made him look more like a representative of Greek interests than a spiritual leader of all Orthodox Albanians.
In every visit of Greek officials to Tirana, the meeting with the Archbishop has been the first item on the agenda.
Even in his public gestures, Fortlumturia has taken care to deliver the message that reacts strongly when dealing with Orthodox believers who belong to or identify with the Greek minority (remember the prison visit to Fredi Beleri, the reactions to the murder of a minority youth in Himara ...).
Today, politicians in Tirana hesitate even to speak about his health.
Five presidents of Albania (Berisha, Meidani, Moisiu, Topi, Nishani), despite the constant demands of Athens, did not grant Albanian citizenship to His Beatitude.
Only on December 24, 2017, President Ilir Meta, after 25 years of staying in Albania, granted Albanian citizenship to the Archbishop, saying later in an interview that he had promised this to the Greek ambassador in Tirana that he would not leave without having an achievement!
Another moment that marked the perception of Janullatos in Albania is his stance during the Kosovo War in 1999.
He did not take a clear stance against Serbian aggression and the massacres of Albanians in Kosovo, preferring to speak of "peace" and "dialogue," an approach that was seen as an avoidance of the brutal reality of the genocide against Albanians. This attitude has further contributed to his perception as a figure that does not represent the national values and sensitivities of Orthodox Albanians.
Despite historical controversies and divisions, the health of every person, even more so when he is a religious leader, remains an important issue for his community and beyond. Being a figure who has played an important role in the reconstruction of the Orthodox Church in Albania, the missing wish for Archbishop Anastas Janullatos is: speedy recovery and return as soon as possible among the flock of believers!/ Taken from Facebook
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