Pope and Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria and All Africa, upon receiving the news of the election of Archbishop Ioannis of Albania as the Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania, sent him a Congratulatory Patriarchal Letter:
Your Beatitude, Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania, dear brother and fellow servant in Christ, Archbishop Ioannis, we greet you with love and joy.
We were delighted to hear of your election to the Archiepiscopal Throne of the Autocephalous Church of Albania, bringing joy to us, the Holy Hierarchy, clergy, and faithful of the venerable Patriarchal See of St. Mark.
Your election fills us with hope and anticipation of a fruitful primatial ministry as you succeed the late Archbishop Anastasios, a man of great ecclesiastical stature and spiritual wisdom, who worked tirelessly for the Orthodox Church of Albania.
We pray that the Lord will guide and strengthen you in your new role, offering our heartfelt congratulations and wishing for your ministry to be long and successful, for the glory of God and the benefit of the faithful.
We extend our fraternal greetings to you. Axios!
With brotherly love in Christ,
† The Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria, All Egypt and All Africa,
T H E O D O R E II
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou