Archbishop Anastasios of Albania Honoured in Holy Metropolis of Messinia

On Tuesday evening,13 December 2016,His Eminence Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Messinia,Greece (Kalamata),welcomed His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana,Durres and All Albania.The official reception was in front of the Cathedral of the Presentation of Our Lord to the Temple (Ypapanti) in Kalamata and attended by many clergy of the Holy Metropolis;civil authorities;and the faithful.Among the ecclesiastical dignitaries were His Eminence Metropolitan Gabriel of Leontopolis,Patriarchate of Alexandria;and Archimandrite Chrysostomos Papathanasiou,Director of the Office of the Archbishop of Athens.*
In his welcome,Metropolitan Chrysostomos praised the Archbishop on the key role he played in the reconstruction of the Church of Albania and his contribution to Inter-Orthodox,Inter-Christian and Inter-Faith Dialogue.For his part,Arhbishop Anastasios lauded Metropolitan Chrysostomos for his significant contributions in preparing and carrying out last summer's Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church.*
In a special City Hall ceremony,Kalamata Mayor Panagiotis Nikos and the City Council proclaimed His Beatitude an honourary citizen of Kalamata and presented him with the "Foteas" prize for his writings.*
Wednesday night at the University of the Peloponesse,Archbishop Anastasios will be given an honourary Doctorate of Humanities degree by the Faculty of Philology and Cultural Resources Management,University of the Peloponesse.