Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America
Encyclopedia
The Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America is a jurisdiction
of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the United States. Its current leader is Bishop
Ilia (Katre) of Philomelion (Vicar General since 1982 and bishop since 2002), who lives in Boston, Chicago, and Las Vegas.
s until after the Second World War. The earliest organized Albanian dioceses were set up under the auspices of the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in America
(now Orthodox Church in America), because the Turkish rulers of Constantinople
would not allow the church authorities there to be involved with Albanian language churches. These early Albanian dioceses in America were led by Fan S. Noli
, and in 1908 a translation of the liturgy into Albanian was made. After political dislocations following the October Revolution
of 1917 in Russia, all ties with the Russian Orthodox church were severed, and the Albanian churches under Noli became independent. In the 1920s Noli was exiled to Germany, returning in 1932. His return reopened the discussion of the need for a canonical Albanian diocese in North America; Noli had been consecrated in 1922 as Bishop of Durres by the Church of Albania, which did not claim any jurisdiction in North America, so he could not gain recognition as head of a diocese in the Americas.
Ten other Albanian Orthodox parish
es incorporated under Bp. Theofan's Archdiocese and two parishes persisted in an "independent" status.
In 1965 at the passing of Bp. Theofan, without an Archdiocesan nomination and under the cloud of Communist influence, the Church of Albania consecrated his successor, Bp. Stephen (Lasko), who was not accepted throughout the Archdiocese and who likewise could not gain canonical recognition by the other Orthodox jurisdictions in North America. The situation was further irritated by the complete public suppression of all religious communities in Albania, with only the most stalwart Orthodox believers maintaining a clandestine liturgical life.
Bp. Mark and the Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America reasserted their status as the lone canonical Albanian Orthodox jurisdiction in the Americas. By October 1971, with the acceptance of Bp. Stephen and the Albanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America as a constituent diocese
of the OCA
, the canonical controversy was ended.
. In 1990, the Diocesan clergy
and laity petitioned the Ecumenical Patriarch, Demetrios, during his visit to North America, to prepare a plan for the restoration of the Church of Albania. In 1991, the (then) Protopresbyter Ilia Katre, who had served for many years as Dean of Students at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, MA, took up residence in Albania, organized and opened the Resurrection of Christ Seminary
with the blessing of the newly-arrived Patriarchal Exarch, Anastasios
. The Very Rev. Ilia also directed the enthronement of Anastasios as Archbishop of All Albania in August 1992. Individuals and delegations from the Diocese made major financial contributions to the Church of Albania as well as applied pressure on the government for the return of confiscated property to the Church. In 2002, His Grace, Bp. Ilia, returned to lead the Seminary for three years during which he expanded, strengthened, and lengthened the course to a full four year programme.
In North America, the Diocese has successfully integrated many pious, talented, and successful Albanian Orthodox immigrants into positions of leadership in her established communities. In addition, the Diocese has made outreach to new communities in Toronto, Montreal, Washington, and Baltimore a priority with the hope that they may also be able to form permanent Albanian Orthodox churches in the near future.
Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction is the practical authority granted to a formally constituted legal body or to a political leader to deal with and make pronouncements on legal matters and, by implication, to administer justice within a defined area of responsibility...
of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in the United States. Its current leader is Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Ilia (Katre) of Philomelion (Vicar General since 1982 and bishop since 2002), who lives in Boston, Chicago, and Las Vegas.
Albanian Orthodoxy in America
In the first half of the 20th century, the Orthodox Albanian communities in America were loosely affiliated with one another, with six of fifteen communities claiming "independent" status and the others not incorporated as dioceseDiocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s until after the Second World War. The earliest organized Albanian dioceses were set up under the auspices of the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in America
Orthodox Church in America
The Orthodox Church in America is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church in North America. Its primate is Metropolitan Jonah , who was elected on November 12, 2008, and was formally installed on December 28, 2008...
(now Orthodox Church in America), because the Turkish rulers of Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
would not allow the church authorities there to be involved with Albanian language churches. These early Albanian dioceses in America were led by Fan S. Noli
Fan S. Noli
Theofan Stilian Noli, better known as Fan Noli was an Albanian-American writer, scholar, diplomat, politician, historian, orator, and founder of the Albanian Orthodox Church, who served as prime minister and regent of Albania in 1924.Fan Noli is venerated in Albania as a champion of literature,...
, and in 1908 a translation of the liturgy into Albanian was made. After political dislocations following the October Revolution
October Revolution
The October Revolution , also known as the Great October Socialist Revolution , Red October, the October Uprising or the Bolshevik Revolution, was a political revolution and a part of the Russian Revolution of 1917...
of 1917 in Russia, all ties with the Russian Orthodox church were severed, and the Albanian churches under Noli became independent. In the 1920s Noli was exiled to Germany, returning in 1932. His return reopened the discussion of the need for a canonical Albanian diocese in North America; Noli had been consecrated in 1922 as Bishop of Durres by the Church of Albania, which did not claim any jurisdiction in North America, so he could not gain recognition as head of a diocese in the Americas.
The dioceses
With the controversy around Bp. Theofan's status, the end of WWII, and the increasing suppression and manipulation of the Church of Albania by the new Communist government, a significant portion of Orthodox Albanian-Americans petitioned the Patriarch of Constantinople, Athenagoras (himself of Albanian ancestry), to send a canonical bishop. The Rt. Rev. Mark (Lipa) organized the Diocese in 1949-1950 and accepted into it the large community in Chicago and an older parish, the first of three Albanian Orthodox parishes to locate in South Boston. Bp. Mark immediately took his seat as a full member of SCOBA.Ten other Albanian Orthodox parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
es incorporated under Bp. Theofan's Archdiocese and two parishes persisted in an "independent" status.
In 1965 at the passing of Bp. Theofan, without an Archdiocesan nomination and under the cloud of Communist influence, the Church of Albania consecrated his successor, Bp. Stephen (Lasko), who was not accepted throughout the Archdiocese and who likewise could not gain canonical recognition by the other Orthodox jurisdictions in North America. The situation was further irritated by the complete public suppression of all religious communities in Albania, with only the most stalwart Orthodox believers maintaining a clandestine liturgical life.
Bp. Mark and the Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America reasserted their status as the lone canonical Albanian Orthodox jurisdiction in the Americas. By October 1971, with the acceptance of Bp. Stephen and the Albanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America as a constituent diocese
Orthodox Church in America Albanian Archdiocese
The Albanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America is one of three ethnic dioceses of the Orthodox Church in America . Its territory includes parishes, and missions located in seven states in the United States – California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, and...
of the OCA
Orthodox Church in America
The Orthodox Church in America is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church in North America. Its primate is Metropolitan Jonah , who was elected on November 12, 2008, and was formally installed on December 28, 2008...
, the canonical controversy was ended.
Legacy
The Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America played a crucial role in the resurrection of the Church of AlbaniaOrthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania
The Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania is one of the newest autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches. It declared its autocephaly in 1922, and gained recognition from the Patriarch of Constantinople in 1937....
. In 1990, the Diocesan clergy
Clergy
Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. A clergyman, churchman or cleric is a member of the clergy, especially one who is a priest, preacher, pastor, or other religious professional....
and laity petitioned the Ecumenical Patriarch, Demetrios, during his visit to North America, to prepare a plan for the restoration of the Church of Albania. In 1991, the (then) Protopresbyter Ilia Katre, who had served for many years as Dean of Students at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, MA, took up residence in Albania, organized and opened the Resurrection of Christ Seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
with the blessing of the newly-arrived Patriarchal Exarch, Anastasios
Archbishop Anastasios of Albania
Archbishop Dr Anastasios of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania is the Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania and as such the primate and Head of the Holy Synod of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania. He was elected on June 1992...
. The Very Rev. Ilia also directed the enthronement of Anastasios as Archbishop of All Albania in August 1992. Individuals and delegations from the Diocese made major financial contributions to the Church of Albania as well as applied pressure on the government for the return of confiscated property to the Church. In 2002, His Grace, Bp. Ilia, returned to lead the Seminary for three years during which he expanded, strengthened, and lengthened the course to a full four year programme.
In North America, the Diocese has successfully integrated many pious, talented, and successful Albanian Orthodox immigrants into positions of leadership in her established communities. In addition, the Diocese has made outreach to new communities in Toronto, Montreal, Washington, and Baltimore a priority with the hope that they may also be able to form permanent Albanian Orthodox churches in the near future.
See also
- Orthodox Autocephalous Church of AlbaniaOrthodox Autocephalous Church of AlbaniaThe Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania is one of the newest autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches. It declared its autocephaly in 1922, and gained recognition from the Patriarch of Constantinople in 1937....
- Orthodox Church in America Albanian ArchdioceseOrthodox Church in America Albanian ArchdioceseThe Albanian Orthodox Archdiocese in America is one of three ethnic dioceses of the Orthodox Church in America . Its territory includes parishes, and missions located in seven states in the United States – California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, and...
External links
- Albanian Orthodox Diocese at the website of the GOAGreek Orthodox Archdiocese of AmericaThe Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, headquartered in New York City, is an eparchy of the Church of Constantinople. Its current primate is Archbishop Demetrios of America.-About the Archdiocese:...
- Eastern Christian Churches: Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America, by Ronald Roberson, a Roman Catholic priest and scholar
- Albanian Orthodox Library