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The event was organized by the European parliamentarians Fredis Beleris, Nikolaos Farantouris and Nikolaos Papandreou, coming from all major political parties of the parliament. The panel included speakers from the academic community as well as close associates of the late Archbishop.
His Beatitude John, Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania, expressed profound gratitude.
“In 1991, while studying theology in Boston, I first connected with Archbishop Anastasios, who had been appointed by the Ecumenical Patriarchate to evaluate and rebuild the Orthodox Church in Albania—a place emerging from the darkest period of religious persecution in European history,” he said. “As one of the presidents of the World Council of Churches and as a participant and leader in numerous international conferences, Archbishop Anastasios became the protagonist of historic agreements and achievements in interfaith dialogue.”
The model developed in Albania offers valuable lessons, added the archbishop. “His assertion for the dignity of every human being, regardless of origin or belief, aligns perfectly with the European Union's fundamental commitment to human rights,” he said. “His practical demonstration that religious communities can contribute to social welfare and integration provides a model as Europe continues to face questions of religious diversity and social cohesion.”
The archbishop further reflected that the Orthodox Church in Albania has become a force for reconciliation, helping heal the wounds of a society traumatized by decades of oppression.
“By serving others and helping them, we help ourselves; by building bridges between communities, we strengthen the foundations of our common European home,” he said. “The work of healing divisions, serving the victims, and building bridges between communities never ends—it is being repeated in each generation.”
Xanthi Morfi, WCC communication programme executive, reflected that the passing of Archbishop Anastasios was not simply the passing of an ecclesiastical leader.
“In an age when collective mourning has become increasingly rare, at that moment we mourned together, united, because deep within we knew exactly who was departing from this world,” she said. “A person before whose example, offering, and ethos the entire world bowed in reverence.”
Morfi noted that she had the great honor of collaborating with Archbishop Anastasios on many levels— theological, practical, and deeply personal.
“It was a collaboration that profoundly shaped the way I approach Orthodox faith, our ecumenical journey, and international religious diplomacy,” she said. “For all of us who worked alongside him, Archbishop Anastasios was never merely a reference figure. He was a point of spiritual orientation.”
Within the World Council of Churches, Archbishop Anastasios was never merely an institutional figure, Morfi added. “He was memory, continuity, and conscience of the ecumenical movement,” she said. “For more than six decades, he served the vision of unity not as an abstract idea, but as lived practice.”
Archbishop Anastasios practiced a diplomacy rooted in love for the other. “He was a role model in the way he navigated the ecumenical space—not because disagreements did not exist, but because he never allowed disagreement to nullify relationships,” she said.
Archbishop Anastasios of Albania played a pivotal role in the religious, cultural, and social landscape of Albania since his arrival in 1992. His leadership was instrumental in the revitalization of the Orthodox Church in a country that had undergone decades of religious suppression during the communist regime. Under his guidance, the Albanian Orthodox Church not only recovered its spiritual strength but also became a symbol of unity and reconciliation in a nation historically divided by ethnic and religious differences.
Archbishop Anastasios was deeply respected for his efforts to promote religious tolerance, his commitment to social justice, and his contributions to the restoration of churches and monasteries. Beyond his ecclesiastical duties, he worked tirelessly to improve the educational and healthcare systems in Albania, helping to build a more inclusive and compassionate society. His ecumenical approach and diplomatic efforts also fostered strong relationships between the Albanian Orthodox Church and other Christian denominations, as well as with other religious communities, making him a key figure in Albania's modern development and its integration into the broader European context.
