The Orthodox Metropolitan of Warsaw and All Poland has issued a statement regarding the passing of Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania, who died on January 25, 2025, at the age of 95, while being treated at Evangelismos Hospital in Athens.
Archbishop Anastasios (Anastasios Yannoulatos) was born in Piraeus in 1929 and was a prominent figure in the Orthodox Christian community. He graduated with honors from the Faculty of Theology at the University of Athens in 1951 and dedicated his life to missionary work in Africa, particularly in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. He was known for his efforts in translating liturgical texts into African languages, as well as for his contributions to education and healthcare in the region.
In 1991, Archbishop Anastasios was appointed Exarch of Albania by the Ecumenical Patriarchate with the task of rebuilding the Albanian Orthodox Church, which had suffered greatly under state-imposed atheism. Through his leadership, the Church was revitalized with the construction of numerous churches, the establishment of theological institutions, and the improvement of social services, earning him recognition worldwide as a missionary, theologian, and humanitarian.
His lasting contributions include the translation of liturgical texts into Albanian, the creation of youth centers, and the construction of a new Orthodox cathedral in Tirana.
The Church of Poland highlighted Archbishop Anastasios’s visits to the Polish Orthodox Church, with the most recent one taking place in 2022 when he was honored with the title of Honorary Doctor by the Christian Theological Academy of Warsaw.
The statement concluded with a tribute: “Eternal memory to you, blessed Archbishop!”