New York, NY - His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albania, modern Orthodox missionary and humanitarian, will lecture at the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, 337 East 74th St., Monday evening, February 19th at 7:00 p.m.
Archbishop Anastasios will be in the United States to receive the Athenagoras Human Rights Award of the Order of St. Andrew, February 17th. His Beatitude accepted the invitation of Holy Trinity Cathedral, The Cathedral Fellowship and the New York Metropolitan Committee of International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) to bring his message of Orthodox Christian mission to the faithful of America.
In the words of His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew following a visit to Albania in November 1999 for all those who do not believe in miracles at the end of the 20th Century, let them come to Albania and see for themselves what has been done here.
His Beatitude has been the major force in the miraculous resurrection of the Albanian Orthodox Church. Seventy new churches have been built, sixty-five churches and five monasteries have been renovated and one hundred thirty churches repaired by utilizing the talents of local architects, engineers, iconographers and other craftsmen. Presently, the Orthodox Church is one of the largest organizations in the country promoting economic development and creating hundreds of jobs.
Archbishop Anastasios established the Diaconia Agapes (Service of Love) in 1992 to serve as the Churchs social, development and relief office which responds to the profound spiritual and economic crises that resulted from years of Communist domination. In 1999, Diaconia Agapes with ACT (Action by Churches Together) Network assisted over 18,000 Kosovo displaced persons with an $8.5 million Emergency Program. Also, Diaconia Agapes set up an operational refugee camp in Ndroq, Albania to care for 1300 refugees a month.
The public is invited to attend the lecture. Admission is free and a reception will follow.