Pope Francis sent his condolences to the Orthodox Church in Albania on Monday following the recent death of Archbishop Anastasios Yannoulatos, who led that church for nearly 33 years. 

Praising Anastasios for his “profound dedication to the Gospel,” the Holy Father expressed his fraternal esteem for the 95-year-old prelate who helped revive Christianity in the former communist country and who died on Jan. 25.

“The faith of the Orthodox community of Albania was certainly embodied in the life of our dear brother, whose zealous pastoral service helped the people rediscover its richness and beauty following the years of state-imposed atheism and persecution,” the pope said in his Jan. 27 message. 

Anastasios, who died on the feast of the conversion of St. Paul, was widely respected by Francis and other religious leaders for his decades-long ministry dedicated to peace and ecumenical dialogue with other churches and religions in Greece, Africa, and Albania.  

“He did so by following the example of St. Paul, who dedicated himself so much to Christ that he could say, ‘I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some’ (1 Cor 9:22),” the Holy Father said. 

Recalling his first meeting with Anastasios during his apostolic journey to Albania in 2014, the 88-year-old pope said he cherished “the fraternal embrace and words exchanged on that occasion” and was impressed by the Orthodox leader’s love for the country’s poor and suffering.  

“Now that his earthly life has come to an end, I pray that, through the mercy of God the Almighty Father, His Beatitude may eternally praise the Blessed Trinity, together with all the confessors of the faith and the pastors who have proclaimed the word of salvation to peoples everywhere and at all times,” the pope wrote at the end of his message.

This article was originally published on Catholic News Agency.

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