The last Battle of Albanian Nationalism against Orthodox Archbishop JanullatosPhoto: His Beatitude AnastasiosArchbishop of Tirana, Durrësand All Albania
By Stavros Markos*
In January 1991, the Patriarchate of Constantinople elected Anastasios to go to Albania as "Patriarchal Exarch" with the mandate to contact Orthodox people irrespective of their ethnic origin and re- establish the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania. The Orthodox Church in Albania had been decimated after forty years of the most severe persecution. Before the country had finally overthrown its yoke of communism, the number of Orthodox clergy had diminished from 440 in the 1940’s to 22 in 1990. Once again, the opportunity to revive a Church on the brink of collapse confronted Bishop Anastasios.
But the Albanian nationalism including a number of Albanian parliament member, in 1992, wanted to have under control the activity of Albanian Orthodox Autocephalous Church, claiming to Albanian people (Musulman religion in general) the slogans “His beatitude Janulatos, must leave Albania, because he is Greek citizen no Albanian”. The protest often has been inside of Orthodox Curch of Tirana, during the religious ceremony of Archbishop Janullatos.
In 1994, the President of Albania Sali Berisha urges the Albanian people to go in referendum for the New Constitution of the Country. Inside of new draft, was the request of an article of constitution, to obligate the Archbishop of Albania to be Albanian citizen. Finally, the resultant of popular referendum has been NO, time when the Pressident Berisha perturbs his glorious figure.
After the collapse of Pyramidal Schemes and Civil War in 1997, in 1998 Albania goes for the second time to popular referendum for Constitution, under strong observation of International Community organizations, OSCE and EU. The religions communities must are independents and Albania must to be a Laic State, also the religions must be separated from the state and it administrates control.
During this period until now, the activity of Orthodox Church particularly to Archbishop Janulatos, is confronted periodically to multi dimensional incidents from Albanian nationalism both from Diaspora (not orthodox religion), putting goal as priority to national strategy and demagogy of “Greater Albania” an ultimatum to Archbishop Janullatos who “must leave Albania from Orthodox Church of Albania”. Albanian press often dedicated against archbishop Janullatos continues to make a lot of demagogy as negative impact to have in head of Albanian orthodoxy a Greek citizen, who serves to Greek nationalism strategy of Northern Epirus, converting the Albanian orthodoxy to Hellenic orthodoxy nominated three high cleric from Greek origin of general council of Albanian Orthodox church.
Anyway, the orthodoxies of Albania, must part from Greek ethnic minority, are about 25 - 30% of total population of Albania are very disturbed about escalation of religion conflict in Albania. Hundred of Byzantine churches in Northern Epirus (Southern Albania) have been violated from vandals and persons, often not catched from authorities.
The Orthodox church of Albania has the large land superficies and proprieties particularly in southern Albania territory, but until now the Albanian authority, refuse to known they. Incidents with local authority and Albanian tribunals have been often supporter from Albanian Service Secret against orthodox community and church, reported from Freedom House and Religious State Department Reports Human Rights of the World from 2003 until last report.
Meanwhile in 2005, Archbishop Janullatos, was elected as President of Churches World Council, which composts a precedent to known the Albanian state on the world, when Albanian nationalism raised the voice again against his eminence Janulatos particularly from Diaspora. The AANC (Albanian American National Council) urges to claim Archbishop Anastas Janulatos as “person Non Grata” and he must leave the Albanian territory very soon as possible, because “he is making the hellenisation of southern Albania”. Albania press continues to publics propaganda anti orthodox church, even churches and monasteries particularly of Byzantine period, have been attacked and violated every time from Albanian criminals groups.
On June 10, 2007, the Albanian Authority, in occasion of historically visit of US President George Bush in Tirana, over alls, had previsted a meeting with George Bush and high representatives religions of Albania, but the name of Archbishop Janulatos was replaced from another person “anonymous of Orthodox Church”. This scandal has been a provocation against orthodox community of Albania, but was been deviated and changed by status protocol of President Bush from his staff during his visit in Albania. The absolutely silence of Albanian press about this scandal, conducted particularly from Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha to other politic responsibilities tells a strategic plan of Albanian nationalism installed a large front against Archbishop Janulatos and Orthodox Church of Albania, which begins from Albanian Diaspora to Albanian politic specter in Tirana, including the government and a part of politic opposition.
Is this fact why the Albanian authority does not give the Albanian citizen to Archbishop of Albania Anastas Janulatos, even he is the must loved person not from orthodoxies of Albania and particularly from Greeks who live in Albania but also from orthodoxies of the world. Never has been a decision as “good work” from Albanian authorities to honor the benefice of Archbishop Anastas Janulatos, while at the time; Albanian nationalism is preparing the last battle against his eminence and orthodoxy.
June 25, 2007. The Association “Chameria” a mussulman community which live in Albania, escaped from Northern Greece in 1944 as “collaborationist with axes fascist forces” has demonstrated near the Greek borders in Southern Albania, demanding and protesting to Athens for their “home land rights” lost in Greece.
Organized under politic background of all politic Albanian nationalist specter including the government, the representatives of demonstration calls the Archbishop Janullatos “to held a special High Mass to honor the chams victim from Greek genocide of 1944”, but the response of Orthodox Synod Church was against: ‘We make High Mass for every soldier who did for the honor of his Patria and not for recommendations from another religions communities”.
Anyway, the Albanian nationalism is raising in infinite the battle against spiritual leader of Albanian orthodox community damaging as victory of “greater Albania”,
the end of influence of Archbishop Anastas Janullatos to Albanian orthodox mission. An aggravation of situation between religions has begun in Albania inasmuch, the Greek Ethnic Minority of Albania, known as “Omonia” calls to Albanian government to have under observation any efforts of “Chameria`s Association” and his paramilitary instrument: “We are very disturbed and minaced about ulterior developments of Chameria Community protest to Greek Borders, considering as a provocation of Albanian irredentism against our mother country, Greece, which compost a precedent to romp the existence of many communities which live in harmony in Southern Albania” said in the communicate press the represent of “Omonia”.
By Stavros Markos*
In January 1991, the Patriarchate of Constantinople elected Anastasios to go to Albania as "Patriarchal Exarch" with the mandate to contact Orthodox people irrespective of their ethnic origin and re- establish the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania. The Orthodox Church in Albania had been decimated after forty years of the most severe persecution. Before the country had finally overthrown its yoke of communism, the number of Orthodox clergy had diminished from 440 in the 1940’s to 22 in 1990. Once again, the opportunity to revive a Church on the brink of collapse confronted Bishop Anastasios.
But the Albanian nationalism including a number of Albanian parliament member, in 1992, wanted to have under control the activity of Albanian Orthodox Autocephalous Church, claiming to Albanian people (Musulman religion in general) the slogans “His beatitude Janulatos, must leave Albania, because he is Greek citizen no Albanian”. The protest often has been inside of Orthodox Curch of Tirana, during the religious ceremony of Archbishop Janullatos.
In 1994, the President of Albania Sali Berisha urges the Albanian people to go in referendum for the New Constitution of the Country. Inside of new draft, was the request of an article of constitution, to obligate the Archbishop of Albania to be Albanian citizen. Finally, the resultant of popular referendum has been NO, time when the Pressident Berisha perturbs his glorious figure.
After the collapse of Pyramidal Schemes and Civil War in 1997, in 1998 Albania goes for the second time to popular referendum for Constitution, under strong observation of International Community organizations, OSCE and EU. The religions communities must are independents and Albania must to be a Laic State, also the religions must be separated from the state and it administrates control.
During this period until now, the activity of Orthodox Church particularly to Archbishop Janulatos, is confronted periodically to multi dimensional incidents from Albanian nationalism both from Diaspora (not orthodox religion), putting goal as priority to national strategy and demagogy of “Greater Albania” an ultimatum to Archbishop Janullatos who “must leave Albania from Orthodox Church of Albania”. Albanian press often dedicated against archbishop Janullatos continues to make a lot of demagogy as negative impact to have in head of Albanian orthodoxy a Greek citizen, who serves to Greek nationalism strategy of Northern Epirus, converting the Albanian orthodoxy to Hellenic orthodoxy nominated three high cleric from Greek origin of general council of Albanian Orthodox church.
Anyway, the orthodoxies of Albania, must part from Greek ethnic minority, are about 25 - 30% of total population of Albania are very disturbed about escalation of religion conflict in Albania. Hundred of Byzantine churches in Northern Epirus (Southern Albania) have been violated from vandals and persons, often not catched from authorities.
The Orthodox church of Albania has the large land superficies and proprieties particularly in southern Albania territory, but until now the Albanian authority, refuse to known they. Incidents with local authority and Albanian tribunals have been often supporter from Albanian Service Secret against orthodox community and church, reported from Freedom House and Religious State Department Reports Human Rights of the World from 2003 until last report.
Meanwhile in 2005, Archbishop Janullatos, was elected as President of Churches World Council, which composts a precedent to known the Albanian state on the world, when Albanian nationalism raised the voice again against his eminence Janulatos particularly from Diaspora. The AANC (Albanian American National Council) urges to claim Archbishop Anastas Janulatos as “person Non Grata” and he must leave the Albanian territory very soon as possible, because “he is making the hellenisation of southern Albania”. Albania press continues to publics propaganda anti orthodox church, even churches and monasteries particularly of Byzantine period, have been attacked and violated every time from Albanian criminals groups.
On June 10, 2007, the Albanian Authority, in occasion of historically visit of US President George Bush in Tirana, over alls, had previsted a meeting with George Bush and high representatives religions of Albania, but the name of Archbishop Janulatos was replaced from another person “anonymous of Orthodox Church”. This scandal has been a provocation against orthodox community of Albania, but was been deviated and changed by status protocol of President Bush from his staff during his visit in Albania. The absolutely silence of Albanian press about this scandal, conducted particularly from Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha to other politic responsibilities tells a strategic plan of Albanian nationalism installed a large front against Archbishop Janulatos and Orthodox Church of Albania, which begins from Albanian Diaspora to Albanian politic specter in Tirana, including the government and a part of politic opposition.
Is this fact why the Albanian authority does not give the Albanian citizen to Archbishop of Albania Anastas Janulatos, even he is the must loved person not from orthodoxies of Albania and particularly from Greeks who live in Albania but also from orthodoxies of the world. Never has been a decision as “good work” from Albanian authorities to honor the benefice of Archbishop Anastas Janulatos, while at the time; Albanian nationalism is preparing the last battle against his eminence and orthodoxy.
June 25, 2007. The Association “Chameria” a mussulman community which live in Albania, escaped from Northern Greece in 1944 as “collaborationist with axes fascist forces” has demonstrated near the Greek borders in Southern Albania, demanding and protesting to Athens for their “home land rights” lost in Greece.
Organized under politic background of all politic Albanian nationalist specter including the government, the representatives of demonstration calls the Archbishop Janullatos “to held a special High Mass to honor the chams victim from Greek genocide of 1944”, but the response of Orthodox Synod Church was against: ‘We make High Mass for every soldier who did for the honor of his Patria and not for recommendations from another religions communities”.
Anyway, the Albanian nationalism is raising in infinite the battle against spiritual leader of Albanian orthodox community damaging as victory of “greater Albania”,
the end of influence of Archbishop Anastas Janullatos to Albanian orthodox mission. An aggravation of situation between religions has begun in Albania inasmuch, the Greek Ethnic Minority of Albania, known as “Omonia” calls to Albanian government to have under observation any efforts of “Chameria`s Association” and his paramilitary instrument: “We are very disturbed and minaced about ulterior developments of Chameria Community protest to Greek Borders, considering as a provocation of Albanian irredentism against our mother country, Greece, which compost a precedent to romp the existence of many communities which live in harmony in Southern Albania” said in the communicate press the represent of “Omonia”.
Last year, an official visit of Greek president Carolos Papullias in Albania was annulled after the cham community protest near of the Hotel, when the President Papulias should meet Albanian counter part Alfred Moisiu in Saranda . Some days ago, in a village of Greek ethnic community of Argirocastro Region, has been stamped slogans under the name of UCC, which considered from Greek population as a new provocation against Greek minority. On April 2007, a paramilitary ethnic nationalist group known as UCC has claimed one video their military actions and objectives against Greek State in Epirus Region. According to Research Terrorism Center in Washington, UCC is known terrorist as first military action in Himara Region (Southern Albanian, Greek population) on 2003, killing a person, while in Northern Greece, they has been exploded a electric station which links Italy and the Greece in Igoumenitsa.
Meanwhile, the parliament lawmakers hold one minute of silence for the “Chames victim from Greek genocide of 1944”. This warm escalation, from Albanian parliament should have in future dangerous religion impact which should damage the perspective of Albanian State to EU and NATO, regarding implication of Greek Ethnic Minority and Orthodox Church, a very critic moment, where the Greek opinion, can not stand indifferent.
Stavros Markos*
(Journalist and Member of the World Security Network Foundation at Athens & Southeastern Europe Office, RIEAS Athens).
sources:
3 comments:
Some days ago, in a village of Greek ethnic community of Argirocastro Region, has been stamped slogans under the name of UCC, which considered from Greek population as a new provocation against Greek minority. On April 2007, a paramilitary ethnic nationalist group known as UCC has claimed one video their military actions and objectives against Greek State in Epirus Region. According to Research Terrorism Center in Washington, UCC is known terrorist as first military action in Himara Region (Southern Albanian, Greek population) on 2003, killing a person, while in Northern Greece, they has been exploded a electric station which links Italy and Greece in Igoumenitsa., kush ti thote keto trapliqe
Shame on you, you are a disgrace to your ancestors!
Albania and Albanians have treated Greeks like brethren all the while they keep feeding these jihadist hatred of which you Mr Marko are but an unfortunate tool.
o zoti markos, ma gjej pak ku eshte ne faqen e departamentit te shtetit fjala UCC apo noj lidhje tjeter terroriste shqiptare... Ti mban edhe emrin Marko, s'te vjen keq qe perdhos kujtimin e shkrimtarit gjenial, apo nuk e ke lexuar Rete dhe Guret ende........................................
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