Speech by His Holiness Bartholomew, Patriarch of Constantinople, at the funeral ceremony of Archbishop Janullatos

2025-01-31 21:48:00, Aktualitet CNA

Speech by His Holiness Bartholomew, Patriarch of Constantinople, at the funeral

Very happy Brothers and Co-Clergymen,
Very esteemed Metropolitan of Korça, His Grace Joan, Supervisor of the vacant Archbishopric Throne of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania,
Very esteemed Gracious and God-loving Representatives of the Holy Local Churches of God,
Very esteemed Hierarchy of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania,
Your Excellency, Mr. President of the Republic,
Your Excellency, Mr. Prime Minister and other esteemed representatives of the country,
Your Excellency, Mr. Prime Minister of Greece,
Honored Representatives of Christian and other Faiths,
Excellencies representatives of Diplomatic Missions present here,
Honored Archon and Great Logothet, Mr. Theodhor Angelopoulos,
Respected Clergymen of all ranks, monks and nuns of Oshen,
People of God, the benefactors!

Speech by His Holiness Bartholomew, Patriarch of Constantinople, at the funeral

A painful task has gathered us today in the capital of Albania! The great pillar of the Orthodox Church in Albania has fallen! The Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and all Albania, Anastasius, has passed away near the Lord!

Although his advanced age and deteriorating health had prepared us for his imminent end in this earthly life, the loss of such a spiritual Father and ecclesiastical leader causes a deep human pain! Anastasius was the servant of the miracle of the revival of the Orthodox Church in Albania, after the dark and gloomy night of organized atheism and after the great persecution that the atheist regime inflicted on Christians.

When that regime fell and the opportunity arose to rebuild the church here, the Holy Mother Church, the Patriarchate of Constantinople, began the search for a man endowed with special qualities who could undertake the rescue of the storm-tossed ship.

This man had to embody virtue, intelligence, determination, fighting spirit, hard work, diplomatic acumen, international recognition, if possible, unwavering faith in the sacred mission, devotion to sacred traditions, and love for God's suffering people.

We found all these qualities in the then titular Metropolitan of Andrusa, a distinguished man who had shone in his mission in Africa and who had earned a respected name in the academic world. With his dedication and wisdom, he had become a prominent and respected figure in the Church, in the best possible way!

Speech by His Holiness Bartholomew, Patriarch of Constantinople, at the funeral

Me origjinë nga Lefkado-Kefalonia, Anastasi i ndjerë lindi në Pire dhe që në rininë e tij u përkushtua me zemër në misionarizmin e brendshëm, duke u mësuar mijëra të rinjve devocionin ndaj Perëndisë. Vetë jeta e tij ishte një mrekulli e Zotit! Nëna e tij, një grua me besim të patundur, refuzoi me vendosmëri këshillën e mjekëve për të kryer abort, pasi vuante nga tuberkulozi dhe ata e konsideronin vdekjen të pashmangshme, si për të, ashtu edhe për fëmijën që mbante në bark.

Dhe fatmirësisht që ndodhi kështu, sepse fëmija që ajo solli në jetë u bë një burrë i shquar, i cili sot, pas 95 viteve jetë të ndritur, prehet përpara nesh, pasi përmbushi një mision të lavdishëm kishtar dhe njerëzor. Anastasi kishte një dashuri të veçantë për dijet dhe u dallua si një studiues i shkëlqyer i shkencave religjioze, duke i prezantuar botës orthodhokse Islamin, Judaizmin, Budizmin dhe besimet afrikane.

Përmes kësaj pune, ai kontribuoi fuqishëm në ndërtimin e një mirëkuptimi më të thellë me besimet e tjera, që sot jetojnë pranë nesh, dhe në kultivimin e marrëdhënieve të bashkëjetesës dhe të mirëkuptimit.

Dashuria e tij e madhe ishte padyshim misionarizmi i jashtëm, të cilit i kushtoi vitet më të bukura të rinisë së tij. Ai vendosi themele të forta, formoi kuadro të shquar në të gjitha nivelet e priftërisë dhe e ngriti lart emrin dhe imazhin e Patriarkanës së lashtë të Aleksandrisë!
Si Drejtor i Shërbesës Apostolike (Apostoliki Diakonia) të Kishës së Greqisë, ai ndërmori botimin e Teksteve Patristike, duke kontribuar në largimin nga ndikimet e huaja, që mbizotëruan deri në vitet ’60, dhe orientimin drejt frymës autentike orthodhokse.

Ai i drejtoi lexuesit tek burimet e freskëta të ujërave shpirtërore dhe buka e shëndoshë e Teologjisë Patristike. Prania e tij në Lëvizjen Ekumenike dhe në Këshillin Botëror të Kishave kishte gjithmonë një shije të fortë orthodhokse dhe patristike, duke dhënë një shembull të qartë të besimit të tij të palëkundur. Ai ishte gjithashtu shpirti i “Syndesmos,” Organizatës Botërore të Lëvizjeve Orthodhokse Rinore, ku rreshtohej ndër themeluesit e saj, duke ofruar një frymë të gjallë dhe vizion për brezat e rinj.

Speech by His Holiness Bartholomew, Patriarch of Constantinople, at the funeral

Kisha e Shqipërisë, që nga shpallja e saj si Autoqefale, ka përjetuar një histori të trazuar, kryesisht për arsye politike. Por tragjedia më e madhe e saj ndodhi kur regjimi ateist vendosi "shfuqizimin" e fesë, duke persekutuar klerikët, duke i përjashtuar ata nga funksionet e tyre, duke ndaluar çdo akt liturgjik dhe duke e kthyer Kishën në një Kishë të përndjekur, një Kishë të
katakombeve.

In 1991, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, fulfilling its obligation to care for all Churches in difficulty, called the late Archbishop Anastasios and sent him to Albania as Patriarchal Exarch, to lay new foundations and bring the message of the Resurrection to the suffering Orthodox people of that country. After a year and a half, he had witnessed excellent works in the revival of the church, and on June 24, 1992, he was elected and installed Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and all Albania.

Of course, his pastoral ministry was not without its storms! He led the Church through narrow paths and great challenges, often walking on the edge of a sword. However, he possessed the grace to choose the right collaborators, to open paths where every road seemed closed, and to find the necessary resources for the revival of the Church from the ashes. Churches, monasteries, schools, the Theological and Clerical Seminary, hospitals, and other institutions in service of the community are just some of his many achievements.

Speech by His Holiness Bartholomew, Patriarch of Constantinople, at the funeral

By nature he was sweet and gentle, patient where necessary, but firm and unwavering where the interest of the Church required it. As a diplomat of rare skill, he knew how to smooth over thorns, avoid conflicts, heal wounds, form souls and build the Church in accordance with the divine will.

We will always remember everything beautiful, everything bright, everything pleasing to God, everything that the late Archbishop built for the Church. We give glory to God, who gave the Church of today a High Priest of such great spiritual caliber as Anastasios Janullatos!

Anastasius, as a personality and as an Archbishop, is undoubtedly irreplaceable! His loss is a profound shock to the local Church. However, we are convinced that his prayers, together with the intercession of all the saints of Illyria, will help in choosing the most worthy and suitable successor for his throne.

Speech by His Holiness Bartholomew, Patriarch of Constantinople, at the funeral

The mother church, the Patriarchate of Constantinople, will lovingly embrace the new Archbishop, whoever he may be, and will always stand by him, ready to support him in every need of the Autocephalous Church of Albania!

Brother Anastas! We greet you from the depths of our soul and heart, praying that you may rest with the righteous and the saints!
Eternal and blessed be your memory! /CNA

Speech by His Holiness Bartholomew, Patriarch of Constantinople, at the funeral ceremony of Archbishop Janullatos!