Archbishop Anastasios of Albania has died at the age of 95

The head of the Albanian Orthodox Church Archbishop Anastasios died at the age of 95. This was reported by the press service of the Church on Saturday, January 25.

The clergyman died in a hospital in Athens, where he had been under treatment since January 3. The cause of death was multi-organ failure.

"We call on the faithful of the Albanian Church and the whole world to pray for the repose of the soul of our deceased Primate. <...> Through his God-inspired vision and tireless work, he restored church life from the very basics, erected hundreds of churches, founded educational and charitable institutions, and trained and ordained new clergy," the press office said in a publication.

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Archbishop Anastasios led the Albanian Orthodox Church for more than 30 years. He arrived in the country in 1991 on behalf of Patriarch Demetrios of Constantinople to restore the church, which was destroyed during the anti-religious campaign of Prime Minister Enver Hoxha in 1960-1970. The ceremony of his enthronement took place in August 1992.