The body of the late Archbishop Anastasios will depart for Albania by road via the Kakavia border crossing, where it will be honoured by a ceremonial guard.
The Hellenic Navy Band will pay tribute, and he will be accompanied by Metropolitan Nicholas of Apollonia and Fier, Bishop Anastasios of Kruja, and priests Haralambos Giokas and Spyridon Topantzas, who were his close collaborators during the revival of the Albanian Church after decades of persecution.
Representing the Church of Greece, the Vice President of the Holy Synod, Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Agios Vlasios, will also accompany the body.
The body will make a stop in Gjirokaster, as per the request of Metropolitan Demetrios of Gjirokaster. Starting Tuesday, a three-day public viewing will be held at the Resurrection of Christ Cathedral in Tirana, a church built under the guidance of the late Archbishop. The funeral service will take place on Thursday morning at 11:00 outside the Metropolis.
The Church of Albania has declared a five-day mourning period from 25 to 29 January 2025.
It is recalled that Archbishop Anastasios of Albania passed away at 8:30 am on Saturday after a prolonged hospitalisation at the Evangelismos Hospital due to multi-organ failure. His death leaves an irreplaceable void in the Orthodox Church of Albania and Christianity at large.
The Holy Synod of the Church of Albania convened an emergency session in Tirana and decided to elect Metropolitan Ioannis of Korça as the caretaker of the Archiepiscopal Throne.
At the conclusion of the session, the Holy Synod held a memorial service for the repose of the soul of the late Archbishop Anastasios and called upon the faithful to pray for the eternal rest of their departed leader.
The body of the late Archbishop Anastasios of Albania was placed in public view at the Athens Metropolis until 10:00 this morning. Ordinary citizens visited the Metropolis to light a candle and pay their respects to the enlightened hierarch.
A Trisagion service was held by the Archbishop of Athens for the repose of the soul of the venerable hierarch, who left an indelible mark on the Orthodox Church and the society of Albania.
Greek political and state leadership were present, including the President of the Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, newly elected Speaker of Parliament Nikitas Kaklamanis, PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis, among others, to bid farewell to the late Archbishop.
At the Trisagion, individuals spiritually connected with the late Archbishop Anastasios, such as MEP Fredi Beleri and Olympic gold medalist Pyrros Dimas, were also in attendance. Dimas stated that he would also travel to Albania for Archbishop Anastasios’ funeral.
