|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2009) |
The Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania (Albanian: Kisha Orthodhokse Autoqefale e Shqipërisë) is one of the newest autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches. It became autocephalous in 1937, gaining, thus, recognition by the Patriarch of Constantinople.
The church suffered during the Second World War, and in the communist period that followed, especially after 1967 when Albania was declared an atheist state, and no public or private expression of religion was allowed.
The church has, however, seen a revival since religious freedom was restored in 1991, with more than 250 churches rebuilt or restored, and more than 100 clergy being ordained.
Contents |
Synod
The Holy Synod of Bishops was established in 1998, and is currently consisted of:[3]
- Anastasios Yannoulatos, Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania, head of the Synod
- Ignati, Metropolitan of Berat, Vlora, Kanin, and all Myzeqe
- Joan Pelushi, Metropolitan of Korçë
- Dhimitër Sinaiti, Bishop of Gjirokastër
- Nikolla Hyka, Bishop of Apolonia and
- Andon Merdani, Bishop of Kruja
Kozma Qirjo was Bishop of Apolonia from 1998 until 2000 when he died.
History
Christianity arrived in Albania before the 4th century from two directions. The Ghegs in the north of the country became Latin Christians, while the Byzantine tradition was predominant among the Tosk people in the south. Following the Turkish conquest in the 15th century, the majority of Albanians became Muslim. Under Ottoman rule, the remaining Orthodox population of Albania was integrated into the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and all Orthodox religious services, instruction and cultural activities were conducted in Greek.
Autocephaly
| Part of the series on Eastern Christianity |
|
 Eastern Christianity Portal |
|
|
History |
|
|
Traditions |
|
|
Liturgy and Worship |
|
|
Theology |
|
During 1908 in Boston Massachusetts, USA, Fan Noli led the first Orthodox Albanian liturgy for the Albanian-American community, which later also included Faik Konica. Noli had prepared his own translation of the liturgy into Albanian, and used it also during a tour several major cities of Europe in 1911. Soon after Albanian independence in 1912, Fan Noli traveled to Albania where he would be ordained a bishop and become the head of the church, whose independence he strongly supported. He also became an influential political figure, and would even serve briefly as prime minister for five months in 1924, until his government was overthrown and he went into permanent exile.
Persecution
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 was 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, and declared Albania the world's first (and only) atheist state. All expression of religion, public or private, was outlawed. Hundreds of priests and imams were killed or imprisoned.
Revival
At the end of the communist rule, when religious freedom was restored, only 22 priests remained alive. The Ecumenical Patriarch appointed Anastasios to be the Patriarchal Exarch for the Albanian Church. Bishop of Androutsa Anastasios before his appointment was dividing his time between his teaching duties at the University of Athens and the Archbishopric of Irinoupolis in Kenya, which was then going through a difficult patch.
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 Orthodox Church, although many are still not comfortable having a Greek primate in their own country.
Archbishop Anastasios insisted from the start that the church that was to be revived would be an Albanian Church, but has greatly increased Greek influence in the church. Liturgical books and other literature were produced in the Albanian language between 1910 and the 1940s. There are very few Albanian publications after his enthronement, while the Orthodox Albanians continue to use the New Testament published by the British & Foreign Bible Society in 1879. This is a dialectical translation in Gheg, while most Albanians use standard Albanian in their daily life and activity. There is now a new translation of the Bible produced by the Albanian Bible Society translated from Italian, and a New Testament translated from the Greek by the Interconfessional Bible Society of Albania.
While most parishes use Albanian, Greek is also used in the ethnically mixed areas, where Greek or Vlach may be the dominant language. Therefore it has also been described as the Greek Orthodox Church of Albania.[4][5][6]
Clergy and Temples
As of February 2008, there are 135 clergy members, all of them Albanian citizens who graduated from the Resurrection of Christ Theological Academy, while 9 other students are continuing their education in renowed theological universities abroad.[7]
So far, 150 new churches have been built, 60 monasteries and churches were restored and more than 160 temples have been repaired.[8]
Theological Education
Anastasios started a seminary in 1992 initially in a disused hotel, which was in 1996 relocated to its own buildings at Shën Vlash, 15 kilometres from the port of Durrës. The primary purpose of the seminary was training of the new clergy. Women, who will serve the Church as lay leaders, also receive theological training there.
Two Ecclesiastical High Schools for boys were opened - the "Holy Cross" in Gjirokastër in 1998, and the "Holy Cross" in Sukth of Durrës in 2007.
Media and Publishing
The Orthodox Church of Albania has its own radio station, named "Ngjallja" (Resurrection) which 24 hours a day broadcasts spiritual, musical, informative and educational programmes and lectures, and has a special children's programme.[9]
A monthly newspaper with the same name "Ngjallja" is published, as well as a children's magazine "Gëzohu" (Rejoice), the magazine of the Orthodox Youth "Kambanat" (Bells), the student bulletin "Fjala" (Word), the news bulletin "News from Orthodoxy in Albania" (published in English) and "Tempulli" (Temple) magazine, that contains cultural, social and spiritual materials.
As of February 2008, more than 90 books with liturgical, spiritual, intellectual, academic topics have been published.[10]
Social Activities
The Orthodox Church in Albania has taken various social initiatives. It started with health care, by organizing medical clinics, diagnostic centres, mobile dental clinic. Then programmes for people with disabilities, development in the mountain regions, orphanages, working with prisoners and homeless people, as well as free kitchens and help.[9]
Apart from the theological schools, it has established elementary schools, day-care centres and an institute for professional training (named "Spirit of Love", established in Tiranë in 2000) which is said to be the first of its kind in Albania and provides education in the fields of Team Management, IT Accounting, Computer Science, Medical Laboratory, Restoration and Conservation of Artwork and Byzantine Iconography.[9]
An environmental programme was started in 2001.[9]
Gallery
| Part of a series on |
| Albanians |
 |
| Albanian culture |
| Literature · Modern art Music · Sport · Cuisine |
| By region or country |
| Albania · Bulgaria Croatia · Greece Italy · Kosovo Macedonia Montenegro · Romania Serbia · United States |
| Varieties of Albanian |
| Gheg · Tosk · Arvanitika Arbëresh (Italy) · Cham |
| Religion |
| Islam Albanian Orthodox Church Byzantine Catholicism Roman Catholicism Protestanism Italo-Albanian Catholic Church |
| History |
| Origins · History |
 Orthodox church in Pogradec, Albania |
 A new Orthodox cathedral in Berat |
 Orthodox church in Korçë, Albania |
 Albanian Orthodox Church in Worcester, MA, USA |
 Alternate emblem, used on church flag |
See also
- Archbishop Anastasios of Albania
- Religion in Albania
- Orthodoxy in Albania
- Albanian Greek-Catholic Church
References
- ^ The statute of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania
- ^ CNEWA - Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania
- ^ The Holy Synod of Albania, Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania, accessed on 2008-06-16
- ^ Victor Roudometof, Collective memory, national identity, and ethnic conflict, Greenwood Press, 2002
- ^ Assembly of Captive European Nations 1956, ACEN (Organization), 1956
- ^ Presveia (U.S.). Grapheio Typou kai Plerophorion, Published by Foto Olympic, 1995
- ^ Official site, "Ordination of New Clergy"
- ^ Romfea news
- ^ a b c d Forest, Jim The Resurrection of the Church in Albania, World Council of Churches Publication, August 2002, ISBN 2-8254-1359-3
- ^ Official Site - Publication
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Albanian Orthodox Church |
- Church website
- Eastern Christian Churches: Orthodox Church of Albania
- History of the Establishment of the Church
- History and description of the Orthodox Church of Albania on World Council of Churches website
- Orthodox Peace Fellowship report on Albania
|
|||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
