Thousands of Albanians gathered in the capital on Thursday to pay their last respects to Archbishop Anastasios, who revived the country’s Orthodox Christian Church after the fall of the Communist party in 1990.

Under Archbishop Anastasios Yannoulatos’ leadership, after the fall of communism, more than 400 parishes were reopened and several new churches were built.

Archbishop Anastasios, a key figure in global Orthodoxy, died at the age of 95. He led the Albanian Orthodox Church since 1992, revitalizing it after its communist-era ban.

Officials and pilgrims attend the funeral of the late Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durres and All Albania, inside the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ, in Tirana, Albania, Thursday, Jan.

The funeral service was attended by Orthodox patriarchs, archbishops, ecclesiastical delegations, representatives of the Vatican etc

The late Archbishop Anastasios of Albania began his final journey today as his relic departed from the Cathedral of Athens at 10:00 a.m., accompanied by the

Once known as "the North Korea of Europe", Albania is turning to its millennia-old sites and rich cultural heritage to recast its image.

Anastasios' body will remain at the church until Monday morning, when it will be transported to Albania for a funeral service and burial.

In a message to the Orthodox Church of Albania, Pope Francis expresses his condolences following the passing of Archbishop Anastas of Tirana, Durrës and All Albania, and pays tribute to his unwavering commitment to the faith and his pastoral dedication.

Archbishop Anastasios, an ecumenical movement leader credited with helping to revitalize the Orthodox Church in Muslim-majority Albania, has died at the age of 95.

Greece's Orthodox Archbishop Ieronymos pays tribute to the late Albania's Archbishop Anastasios during a religious ceremony inside the Athens Orthodox Cathedral, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025.

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania's Archbishop Anastasios, who revived the country's Orthodox Church after the fall of the communist regime in 1990, has died, the church said on Saturday. He was 95.