His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III Receives Albanian Prime Minister
His Beatitude Theophilos III, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, received today Tuesday, January 27, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, His Excellency Edi Rama and his wife, at the headquarters of the Jerusalem Patriarchate. The meeting came as part of a regional tour by the Albanian official.
His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III welcomed Prime Minister Rama and spoke of the long relations between the Jerusalem Patriarchate and Albania. He recalled the important standing of the Albanian Orthodox Church in the modern history of Eastern Europe and made special reference to the late Metropolitan Anastasios (1929–2023), who played a decisive role in restoring the Orthodox Church of Albania after the fall of the communist period. Late Metropolitan Anastasios had served in Jerusalem earlier in his ecclesiastical life before assuming the leadership of the Church in Tirana.
The Patriarch spoke about inter-religious dialogue and how religious institutions in the region can reduce tensions by keeping respectful channels of communication open. He reaffirmed the commitment of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem to balanced dialogue and to the preservation of an indigenous Christian presence in the Holy Land.
Prime Minister Rama expressed his gratitude for the reception and described the encounter as symbolic and historically meaningful, noting the old ecclesiastical links between the two sides. He stated that Albania intends to continue opening paths for religious and cultural dialogue on the international stage.
Upon conclusion of the meeting, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos decorated the Prime Minister with the Cross of the Holy Sepulcher, as an expression of appreciation for Albania’s engagement in regional dialogue initiatives in recent years.
At the end of the meeting, His Excellency the Prime Minister of Albania, accompanied by his wife and the accompanying delegation, went to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where they were received by His Eminence, Archbishop Isidoros of Hierapolis.
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