Orthodox Church of Albania | |
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Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania Kisha Ortodokse Autoqefale e Shqipërisë | |
Primate | Archbishop Anastasios of Albania |
Bishops | 8 |
Priests | 135 |
Parishes | 911 |
Monasteries | 150 |
Language | |
Headquarters | Resurrection Cathedral, Tirana, Albania |
Territory | Albania and Albanian diaspora |
Founder | Theofan Stilian Noli |
Independence | 17 September 1922[1] |
Recognition | Autocephaly recognised in 1937 by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. |
Separated from | Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople |
Members | 500,000[2]-700,000-800,000[3] (claimed), number much higher when diaspora is considered. |
Official website | orthodoxalbania |
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Eastern Orthodox Church |
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Overview |
The Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania (Albanian: Kisha Ortodokse Autoqefale e Shqipërisë), commonly known as the Albanian Orthodox Church or the Orthodox Church of Albania, is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church. It declared its autocephaly in 1922 through its Congress of 1922, and gained recognition from the Patriarch of Constantinople in 1937.
The church suffered during the Second World War, and in the communist period that followed, especially after 1967 when Albania was declared an atheist state, and no public or private expression of religion was allowed.
The church has, however, seen a revival since religious freedom was restored in 1991, with more than 250 churches restored or rebuilt, and more than 100 clergy being ordained. It has 909 parishes spread all around Albania, and around 500,000 to 550,000 faithful.[2] The number is claimed to be as high as 700,000 by some Orthodox sources – and higher when considering the Albanian diaspora.[4][5]
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The Orthodox currently represent about half a million faithful, worshipping in 909 parishes.