User:A.B1997/sandbox

Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania

Alternate Emblem of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania

Along with the few aged clergy who had survived communism, a new generation of clergy was educated. Under the personal care of the Archbishop, a new generation of clergy, who are all Albanian citizens, has been educated and ordained. Today 159 clergy of all ranks serve the Church, all of whom have completed higher education (18 others have since passed away).

Since 1992, the "Resurrection of Christ" Orthodox Theological Academy has been in operation. This Academy prepares clergy and candidates to work as catechists and to serve in various fields of the Church. Meanwhile, many of the graduates have continued their education by study in theological universities abroad.

Clergy

From 1992 to 1998, the responsibility for the missionary and pastoral care of Albania was taken up by Archbishop Anastasios. In 1998, the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania was established consisting of His Beatitude Anastasios, Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania and four senior clergy: His Eminence Ignatios, Metropolitan of Berat; His Eminence John of Korca, His Grace Kosma, and Protopresbyter Jani Trebicka as chief registrar. In 2006, three new bishops were added to the Synod: Archimandrite Dimitrios Sinaiti as Metropolitan of Gjirokastra; Archimandrite Nikolla Hyka, who later became Bishop of Apollonia; and Archimandrite Andon Merdani, who became Bishop of Kruja (the last two bishops acted as assistants to the Archbishop).

From 3-4 November 2006, at the Monastery of Saint Vlash in Durrës, the Clergy-Laity Assembly of the Church was gathered, consisting of 257 members, to review every Article of the new Statute of the Church and who unanimously accepted this new Statute. On the 6th of November, the Holy Synod ratified the Statute of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania.

On November 24th, 2008, the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania and the Council of Ministers signed an agreement in accordance with the Albanian Constitution. This agreement was approved by the Albanian Parliament and became state law no. 10057 on January 22nd, 2009.

In 2012, two new bishops were ordained: Archimandrite Nathanail Lavrioti as Bishop of Amantia and Archimandrite Asti Bakallbashi as Bishop of Bylis.

On 11-12 March 2016, the Clergy-Laity Assembly of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania was convened on the premises of the New Monastery of Saint Vlash. More than 280 participants from the Archdiocese and the three Metropolises (all of the clergy as well as thirty lay people from the Archdiocese and each Metropolis) attended. During this Assembly, some additions were made to the Church Statute, which had been previously approved in 2006. Two new Metropolises were created: The Metropolis of Apollonia and Fier with His Grace Bishop Nikolla Hyka appointed as its head and the Metropolis of Elbasan with His Grace Andon Merdani appointed as its head. Additionally, His Grace Bishop Nathanael was appointed as Metropolitan of Amantia.

Today the Holy Synod consists of: His Beatitude, Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania, Anastasios; The Metropolitans: His Eminence Ignatios of Berati; His Eminence John of Korça, His Eminence Dimitrios of Gjirokastra; His Eminence Nikolla of Apollonia and Fier; His Eminence Andon of Elbasan; His Eminence Nathanael of Amantia (who also preforms the duty of the Secretary-General), and His Grace Bishop Asti of Bylis.