Reflections on the Legacy and Funeral of Archbishop Anastasios

Reflections on the Funeral and Legacy of Archbishop Anastasios
Fr Luke A Veronis

“I am not the Savior of Albania, only a candle in front of the icon of the Savior. One day my candle will be extinguished. When this happens someone else should come and light their own candle in front of the icon. What matters most is the icon of the Savior, the candle only shines light for others to see Him.”

This humble candle in front of the icon of Christ, as Archbishop Anastasios described himself, shined brightly for 33 years in Albania and 95 years throughout the world. His light flickered in a country where the prior totalitarian, communist government outlawed and tried to eliminate every sign of divine light for 23 years prior to his arrival.

Yet, when the Archbishop came in Albania in 1991, in the midst of extreme darkness and despair, “he dared to hope,” the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in his eulogy. “Courage and hope were the two compasses that always guided him on his marvelous journey of faith. He became a beacon of love and service, of kindness and simplicity, of persuasion and effectiveness. He became a diplomat of love. I remember when he would say, with a smile on his face, "We gather the stones thrown at us by those who fight against our work and we use the stones to build churches and schools."

What a remarkable tribute this extraordinary hierarch received for his final farewell on earth as he began his eternal journey into the Kingdom of Heaven! Here was a man of God who repeatedly taught us that Christians should never have enemies. That every person was created in the image and likeness of God and thus must be treated with dignity and kindness. And that the best response to the malicious slander and ongoing attacks he received throughout his three decades of service in Albania – from extreme nationalists, Islamic fanatics, or radical secularists who couldn’t accept or comprehend his selfless, sacrificial life of love – was to simply carry whatever Cross he received with humility, patience, and forgiveness. Following the Cross, he always proclaimed, came the Resurrection. And the Good News of our Risen Lord will prevail!

I found it quite fascinating, ironic, and meaningful, that at his funeral service, a few feet to my left from where I was standing next to the casket, were some of the Archbishop’s harshest antagonists now honoring him and celebrating his legacy. The former president of the country, who back in the 1990s tried to kick the Archbishop out of Albania because he couldn’t accept a Greek bishop heading the Church of Albania, now meekly honored him with his presence.

“Sometimes the best response to the slander and attacks we receive is to simply stay silent, to pray for those who attack us, and to continue to do our works of love,” the Archbishop believed. Years later, when this same former president would be imprisoned for corruption, the Archbishop actually visited him in prison, trying to comfort him, encourage him, forgive him and offer his unconditional love. That was the example the Archbishop constantly offered.

In the eulogy that the present Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, (a Prime Minister that hasn’t always been a strong supporter of the Church or of the Archbishop over the years), offered, “On this day marking the closure of a life cycle devoted to resurrection, it must be said without any doubt: in the only dimension that truly mattered to him - the dimension of faith - Anastasios came among us 33 years ago as a priest from Greece and leaves us today, after 33 years, as Anastasios of Albania. It is difficult to find, in our historical memory, anyone - of any other nationality - who has so proudly and devotedly identified themselves, in words and deeds, with the name of Albania as Archbishop Anastasios. I know that many among us, Albanians, may disagree with what I have just said. But let be patient and let them reflect with an open heart, freed from prejudices or suspicions of neighbors, and look only at his deeds, for just as a good tree is known by its fruits, so too is his identification with our Albania evident beyond any ambiguity.”

It was unbelievable for me to hear these words, and to see the respect and honor offered to the Archbishop from the highest political powers of Albania. I lived in Albania during the early 1990s when the government officials constantly undermined his work and tried to kick him out of the country. I read plenty of newspaper articles with slanderous stories, all lies and vilification, trying to ruin the reputation of the Archbishop and destabilize the work of the Church. And these attacks and attempts to undercut the work of the Archbishop and the Church continued for more than 30 years. In the end, however, the fruit of the Archbishop’s humble, patient, forgiving, loving spirit prevailed. Not only did he build up a living, vibrant church with 150+ priests, a synod of eight bishops, and hundreds of churches and communities of faith, but he also left behind schools (even up to Logos university), medical clinics, and social welfare services.

Metropolitan John of Korca offered this reflection: “Driven by his love for all people, regardless of origin or beliefs, he did not limit himself to building Church structures alone but extended his care to the entire society, offering a living witness that the Church does not exist solely for itself but for everyone - because love knows no boundaries ... Through his living example, he strengthened in all of us an unwavering faith in God. His now poverbial saying, "God will not abandon us," has instilled faith and hope in all the faithful, inspiring us at every step of our spiritual journey ... I often find myself amazed and in awe, like many others, wondering how the Archbishop accomplished such an immense multi-faceted work. The answer lies in his unwavering faith, a boundless love for God and people, a rare talent, and an abundance of Divine Grace. Only these forces can make such a miracle possible ... It is true that we have lost a rare Shepherd but we have gained a powerful intercessor before God, who will ceaselessly pray for us and for our Church, which he loved so dearly.

The Archbishop was not only the greatest missionary of our generation and a world renowned hierarch within global Orthodoxy, but he was a deeply respected voice that touched the entire world. Pope Francis sent his condolences and showed his respect for the Archbishop, while the Moderator of the World Council of Churches, Rev. Heirich Bedford-Strohm, offered these words: “Archbishop Anastasios was a great spiritual authority: an impressive theologian, deeply rooted in his tradition and yet with an incredibly broad horizon. He was a beloved brother in Christ, loved by all for his humility, grace, and love. For decades, he was one of our most influential figures whose extensive theological writings addressed essential issues, such as the Church’s mission in a pluralistic world, interfaith dialogue, environmental care, theology of reconciliation, social justice, and the Church’s role in addressing global economic inequality. His works remain a powerful source of inspiration, urging Christians worldwide to overcome divisions, strengthen mutual understanding, and become a beacon of unity in this divided world.”

A beautiful sign of this unity and reconciliation, which the Archbishop always worked for and emphasized, could be seen in the fact that more than 50 bishops from every Orthodox autocephalous Church in the world came to pay their respects. In fact, during a time when contentious conflicts have divided our Orthodox Churches worldwide from one another, a fact that deeply concerned and saddened Anastasios, in his death he was able to bring together representatives of every Orthodox Church for the first time in the past six years.

This Professor of World Religions, who helped to introduce worldwide religions to his students in the University of Athens as well as to the entire Orthodox world through his teachings and writings, always highlighted how God is present everywhere and elements of Divine Truth and Beauty could be found amongst all peoples and in every civilization. He clearly proclaimed that the fullness of Truth came in the person of Jesus Christ and as Christians we had the privilege and responsibility to share His Good News to the world, yet in the process, we needed to be respectful to people of other religions and acknowledge their sincere desire and pursuit for the Divine. Thus, it was appropriate at his funeral to see representatives of the Muslim community, the Bektashi community, and other inter-faith religious leaders pay their respects.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew offered the final eulogy and actually became quite emotional delivering his words. “A man who combined divine virtue with intellectual acumen, decisiveness with a fighting spirit, diplomatic tactfulness with international recognition, unwavering faith with a deep love for God’s suffering people were all qualities found in this brilliant hierarch. He was a diplomat of rare skill who knew how to smooth thorny conflicts, diminish tensions, heal wounds, guide souls, and edify the Church in a godly manner.”

Let me conclude with advice the Archbishop gave me, when I asked him how we can stay spiritually healthy and alive. “Try to know God more each day,” he confided. “Love Christ more and serve Him by serving those around you. Every day create a time of silence, prayer, and Bible reading. Pray the set prayers of the Church along with your spontaneous prayers. Don’t only read Holy Scripture but listen to what God is saying to you through these Divine Words. Offer up to God short prayers throughout the day, communing with Him continuously and then end each day in prayer. And never forget, in Christ’s Resurrection we become a new creation; everything is restored. Participate in this restoration through repentance and be transfigured, becoming new by the joyous events of Pascha."

Archbishop Anastasios’ earthly life has ended but his eternal journey into the glory of God has just begun. He now joins the company of the saints who unceasingly intercede on behalf of the world. The way we honor the Archbishop’s legacy is by imitating his spirit and becoming ourselves a candle shining light before the icon of our Savior.