Their mosques were closed and they were forced to eat pork: about the difficult fate of Muslims in Albania. Islam in Albania Useful phone numbers and addresses

Generally. Despite the fact that modern Albania cannot be called a typically Muslim country, up to 60% of the country’s population recognize certain elements of Islam. Unlike Kosovo, the influence of Islam in Albania is weakening as the country integrates into the pan-European space. However, for a long time Albania was considered to be the only officially recognized country located entirely in Europe and at the same time having a Muslim majority.

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Main article: Religion in Albania

The ancient Albanians were one of the first Christianized peoples. The Orthodox rite as a whole became the first and predominant form of Christianity among the Albanian tribes in the 5th-15th centuries, when they experienced both the strong influence of the Byzantine Empire and the neighboring Slavic tribes that settled on its territory and adopted Orthodoxy. After the first fall of Constantinople in 1204 from the attacks of the crusader knights, the Albanian coast fell into the zone of influence of Catholic Venice. Catholicism is also beginning to compete with Orthodoxy, especially in the northern and coastal regions of the country, which have been focused on trade with Italy and Dalmatia since ancient times.

Islamization

The religious split in medieval Albania, as well as in neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina, was skillfully taken advantage of by the Ottoman Empire, expanding its possessions. In the 15th-19th centuries, the majority of Albanians united politically, territorially and economically under the banner of Islam for the first time in their history. In exchange for converting to Islam, the Turkish sultans made the Albanians the basis of their power in the Balkans. Despite the fact that at the zenith of the Ottoman Empire in the Balkans, up to 80% of Albanians professed Islam, its real penetration into the life of Albanian society remained and remains questionable. In general, Islam in Albania was seen as a means of career advancement under the new government. Orthodoxy and Catholicism continued to be practiced in secret throughout the Ottoman period. Moreover, the majority of the Arnut Albanians settled by the Ottomans in the Greek lands to the south continued to adhere to Orthodoxy and gradually became part of the Greek people after they gained independence in 1830. Some Orthodox Albanians (Arbereshi) did not accept the Turkish regime and moved to Southern Italy, for a long time supporting long-standing Orthodox traditions in the south of this country, although over time, most of their descendants gradually converted to Catholicism. Also, after Albania gained independence in 1912, the influence of Italy began to increase in the country, which again led to the growth of the popularity of Catholicism, usually at the expense of Islam. The ban on any religion in socialist Albania from 1964 to 1989 led to the spread of atheism and agnosticism.

Religious specifics

The peripheral nature of Albania, as well as the constant invasions of multi-lingual, multi-religious peoples, are reflected in the peculiar perception of religion by Albanians, including Muslim Albanians. The Muslims of the East found some of the customs of the Muslim Albanians simply absurd. Orthodox, Catholic, Muslim and even ancient Illyrian cults were often observed in the same family, whose members bore both Christian and Muslim names. Therefore, unlike the South Slavic peoples, the Albanians have never experienced strife on religious grounds. As a result of the mixing of different religions in Albania, the Bektashi movement arose, which became the core of the idea of ​​​​the struggle for the independence of Albania. One way or another, ethnic Albanians have always put national and linguistic affiliation above religious affiliation.

Current situation

After independence, the influence of Islam in the country quickly weakened. Polygamy was abolished, and prayer began to be read in Albanian, standing and without bowing. In 1967-1991 the country was officially atheist. Moreover, the country's former Orthodox president Alfred Moisiu even called Albania a Christian country, although in response he received a lot of criticism from the humanitarian intelligentsia, united in Muslim organizations that retain significant influence, even despite their relatively small membership.

Notes

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See what “Islam in Albania” is in other dictionaries:

Monotheistic religion. The followers of this religion do not worship its prophet Muhammad, considering him an ordinary person whom God chose as his messenger. Believers call themselves Muslims (Arabic: Muslim). Nowadays Islam... Collier's Encyclopedia

- [Arabic, literally submission, surrender of oneself (to the will of God)], one of the most widespread religions of the world. Its Muslim followers make up the majority (from 80 to 98%) of the population of Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

- (Arabic submission) one of the most widespread religions, sometimes called a world religion along with Buddhism and Christianity. Its followers are Muslims (hence its other name, Islam) make up the overwhelming majority (from 80 to... ... Soviet Historical Encyclopedia - History of Albania ... Wikipedia

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Main article: Albania The population of Albania is 3.2 million people. About 70% of the population professes Islam, 20% are Orthodox Christians, 10% are Catholics (the share of believers is actually smaller due to secularization in ... ... Wikipedia

The religious situation in Albania, as well as many features of this country and aspects of life in it, is surrounded by many stereotypes.

There is a strong opinion that it professes exclusively Islam, which is not true. About 60% of the country's population is indeed Muslim, but in Albania many residents adhere to Orthodoxy and Catholicism, and there are also representatives of other faiths.

Orthodoxy in Albania- one of the three largest faiths in the country, according to various sources, it is professed by up to 30 percent of the country's population. The third most common religion in Albania is Catholicism, which is followed by about 10 percent of Albanians.

Also, a large number of Albanians who profess Catholicism live outside the country - in Italy, Montenegro, Kosovo, etc.

It came around 100 AD, during the era of the dominance of the Roman Empire. Under the influence of the Byzantine Empire and the Slavic tribes living on its territory and professing Orthodoxy, the Byzantine rite prevailed in Albania, especially in the southern part of the country.

With the fall of Constantinople, Albania came under the influence of Catholic Italy, which led to the spread of Catholicism in the country. To this day, the Catholic population lives primarily in the northwestern regions of Albania, which since ancient times had close trade ties with Catholic Italy.

The most widespread, and at the same time the youngest, is Islam. About 60 percent of the population professes Islam to one degree or another, and for a long time Albania was considered the only European country, the absolute majority of whose inhabitants were Muslims.

Islam began to penetrate Albania in the 14th century, by which time Christianity was already widespread among the population, and part of the population continued to adhere to Illyrian pagan beliefs. In the 16th century, after Albania was captured Ottoman Empire, the process of Islamization was completed.

It is worth noting that under Turkish rule, the conversion to Islam was considered by Albanians primarily as a means of preserving former privileges and moving up the career ladder - Albanians who converted to Islam became the pillar of Turkish power in the Balkans.

However, throughout the period of Ottoman rule, the Albanian population continued to secretly practice Christianity. Moreover, some Christians, while outwardly adopting Muslim rituals and names, continued to follow Orthodox or Catholic traditions in family life.

At the same time, Albania, as we see it now, cannot be called a typical Muslim country, and as it merges with the pan-European space.

One of the core values ​​of the Albanian people is religious tolerance and harmony.

Thanks to the fact that Albania is in different time was subjected to many conquests and invasions of the most different nations– with their own languages ​​and religions, Albanians’ perception of their religious affiliation is peculiar.

A striking example of religious tolerance is the significant number of mixed marriages. Often, within one clan or one family, a variety of religious beliefs could peacefully coexist - Islam, Orthodoxy, Catholicism.

One brother could be Catholic and the other Muslim; members of the same family had both Christian and Muslim names.

Religious mutual respect, good neighborliness and tolerance of the Albanian nation are deeply rooted in the history of this country.

Given the constant threat from possible invaders, the Albanian people strived for cohesion and unification, avoiding splits on religious grounds.

As the Albanian writer Pashko Vasa proclaimed, “The religion of the Albanians is Albanism.”

Indeed, national-linguistic affiliation has always been valued by Albanians higher than belonging to one or another religious denomination.

Even today in some areas of Albania you can find not only mixed families, but also Albanians bearing a Muslim name and a Christian surname or vice versa.

It just so happens that since the notorious conflict in Kosovo, which was accompanied by ethnic cleansing, many of us have developed a stereotype in our minds that all Albanians are Muslims. However, in reality, with shiptars everything is far from being so simple and much more interesting than one might imagine. Surely the information presented below will make you change your idea of ​​​​the religious affiliation of Albanians. And the degree of their religiosity, by the way, too.

Of course, in Albania the lion's share of believers profess Islam. But, at the same time, there are quite powerful Orthodox and Catholic communities in this country. The statistics are also very contradictory. According to some sources, the mass share of Muslims in Albania exceeds 80%, according to others it is 70%, and according to still others it is about 60%. But there is data according to which in Albania there are no more than 38% of Muslim believers, and more than 60% of Christians! One way or another, the Muslim population in this country is concentrated mainly in the center and northeast, in the north of Albania (especially in the Shkodra region) many Catholics are concentrated, and the south of the country is mainly Orthodox (especially the city of Korça, which is famous for its football club"Skenderbeu"). In addition, it is worth noting that there are a lot of non-believers in Albania.

Still, the years of rule of Enver Hoxha, who actively propagated atheism, are still making themselves felt. But in Kosovo the situation is more or less clear: there Albanians make up more than 90% of the population and approximately the same mass proportion among believers are Muslims (a small part of Albanians in Kosovo are Catholics). Among the Shiptars living in Macedonia, adherents of Islam also predominate, but there is also a large Catholic community, of which everyone is a prominent representative famous Mother Teresa (in the world - Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu), founder of the Catholic Order of Charity. Separately, it is worth highlighting two more large ethnographic groups of Albanians: the Arbereshi, who live in Italy and profess Catholicism, and the Arnauts, who live in Greece and are predominantly Orthodox. Special mention should be made about the Arnauts. Yes, yes, it was this ethnographic group of Albanians that at one time gave Hellas national heroes in the struggle for independence. But this is so, a lyrical digression. But in general, the essence of everything stated above is extremely clear: not all Albanians are Muslims.

As for Albanians who profess Islam, it must be said that the degree of their religiosity is extremely low. The vast majority of Albanian women (Muslim women, of course!) do not wear hijabs, much less burqas (unlike, for example, Bosnian Muslim women), and some girls even flaunt short skirts and dress like real Europeans! And what can we say about observing Muslim customs? Shiptars also like to joke that, for example, if you consider yourself a Muslim, then don’t be too surprised if you find out that your immediate ancestors were Christians! In general, for Albanians, religious affiliation has never played a decisive role. Even more: there is an opinion that the religion of the Albanians is... Albanism! That is, it doesn’t matter at all what your religion is. If you are Albanian, then you belong. That's all.

Arriving in Albania after crossing the border, women in Muslim attire immediately caught our eye and we immediately realized that we were in a Muslim country. Although in fact, as we moved around the country, we realized that Albania is by no means as Muslim a country as many others are, and that here the population is above questions of religion.

What religion is practiced in Albania?

There are several commonly accepted religions in Albania. Most of population professes Islam.

But such commitment to faith is more likely not from the legacy of the Ottoman yoke, but from the consequences of the liberation of the country from the dictatorship of Enver Hoxha. Indeed, during the years of his reign, faith was completely exterminated. And after the death of the dictator and the fall of his system, it turned out that the population did not care what religion they accepted and for some reason they decided to profess Islam.

However, almost equivalent religious adherences are Orthodoxy and Catholicism. On the territory of the country, these two directions are definitely followed in the same degree.

Tolerance

Speaking about religion in Albania, one cannot fail to mention the degree of tolerance in these matters. After all, it is in Albania that no one pays attention to a person’s commitment to a particular religion and allows you to visit the walls of any of the religious buildings. And here we are faced with a very significant moment: on the main square of the Country - Skanderberg Square - a mosque, a Catholic church and an Orthodox church stand together. I personally was very surprised by this arrangement. After all, there are many myths about Albania that Christians are treated poorly here and that crosses are torn off tourists, and many other variants of disrespectful attitude towards adherents of this faith.

And also, when we were planning our trip from Montenegro local guide, many of our compatriots came up to us and said that we should not go to this country, because the people there are completely wild, and that Albanians are radical Muslims. Well, having already visited, based on these parameters I can definitely say that in tourist cities We did not observe such phenomena. And that tolerance in the country in religious matters reigns everywhere.

What standards of behavior should be observed?

Albanians, for the most part, are extremely respectful of tourists. This of course applies to locals who live in tourist cities. Most of the northern regions with their population generally treat tourists quite aggressively. Not to mention religious preferences.

The Albanians seemed to us to have fairly free morals in their clothing. But beach clothes are best worn on the beach. Although I went on a trip to Albania in short denim shorts and a T-shirt with bare shoulders. And no one in the cities looked askance at me.

In tourist cities, tourists are perfectly allowed to drink alcoholic beverages. But themselves local residents They don’t really allow themselves to drink them in public. But everywhere in the middle of the day, in cafes and restaurants, you could meet Albanians who sit and drink coffee for hours on end in the midst of a working day.

What religious rituals can you take part in?

Our guide to Albania is a Russian woman who was married to an Albanian man. She told a lot interesting stories related to living with an Albanian. So, among other things, she said that some Albanians are looking for ways to provide services for attending an Albanian wedding. It must be an interesting event, because our guide talked a lot about wedding rites and ceremonies and that an Albanian wedding takes place one week for the groom and one week for the bride. I don’t know which of these periods is proposed for tourists to spend at such an event.

I had to eliminate my own illiteracy right away. When the first thing these mysterious Albanians greet you with is dye and “Krishti u ngjall!”, that is, “Christ is Risen!”, you agree, you begin to think: are those who claim that Albania is a country where only atheists live, or radicals who dream and see how to strangle Orthodoxy? Apparently, things are different, and this is great news. Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in the center of Tirana. Nearby is a monument to national hero Georg Skanderbeg. The square in front of the cathedral is covered in wax: they still haven’t been able to clean it up after the night Easter service, for which, according to my interlocutors, tens of thousands of people gathered...

It turned out quite interesting with the interlocutors. The cathedral is being cleaned. A busy and tired girl looks sternly: “Would you step aside, please!” Turning to the elderly monk standing modestly by the icon, he says no less sternly: “Yes, and you, Vladyka, would go away! I have a lot to do. Go to the choir and talk there, okay?” Then she became kinder and smiled: “Sorry, I’m just terribly tired. Take an Easter egg, please." This is how I received my first gift - that very dye, and met Metropolitan Nathanael of Amantia and Priest Gregory Pelushi, who took me to the choir and gladly agreed to talk for the Pravoslavie.ru portal.

– Vladyka, I’m afraid there are many prejudices regarding Albanians: no matter who I met in Russia before traveling here, everyone told me in fear that I was going to dangerous country, which is governed almost according to the laws of Islamic terrorists. That Orthodoxy is not here and never was, that the church cannot be found here. In general, Albania, thanks to prejudices, appeared to me as something between a caliphate and a communist concentration camp. My surprise was all the greater when the first thing the Albanians with whom I entered into a conversation did to me was this: they gave me some paint and wished me a Happy Easter.

– Oh yes, we have to face this point of view. Only there is no vision here: all this is not true. When we were with Vladyka in Moscow, we had to dispel accumulated prejudices for a long time and persistently, we proved that we are a country with the most ancient Christian history and traditions, that Orthodoxy here not only has not died, but, thank God, is growing and multiplying.

– Then tell me, please, what are prejudices based on? After all, they would not have arisen on their own.

– It’s an interesting question. I think the terrible years of communist rule contributed greatly to the emergence of incorrect opinions about our country. But, you must admit, Russia faced exactly the same opinion about itself in the very recent past: it was difficult to find a person who would believe that the roots of Russia are in Christianity, when they were loudly talking about “state atheism” from all the stands. The same thing happened in Albania, only, probably, with local peculiarities, which Father Gregory will talk about a little later.

Both Muslims and Christians live peacefully here

As for the opinion of Albania as a purely Muslim country, it is fundamentally wrong: both Muslims and Christians live peacefully here. Shiites and Sunnis, Orthodox and Catholics - these are, perhaps, the main groups of believers here.

And if we talk about history, then let’s remember that back in the 1st century, the Apostle Paul came here, to Illyria, preaching Christ, and this preaching was not fruitless. Remember in Romans he says: I have spread the gospel of Christ from Jerusalem and the surrounding area to Illyricum(Rom. 15:19)? So Christianity was brought here by the apostles themselves, let’s remember that. In Durres (Dyrrachia), ancient city on the Adriatic coast, around 70 A.D. there were already about a hundred Christian families. The first Albanian saint is the holy martyr Astius, who led this community and suffered from the pagans in 98. And Caesar, the apostle of the 70, made him a bishop.

When the persecution of Christians stopped, there were already many churches in Illyricum, and the Christian community by that time was already numerous. At the end of the 4th century, under Emperor Theodosius the Great, the overwhelming majority of the population was already Christian. Of course, there are many Albanian saints - you just need to take a closer look at the history of the Church.

Toponymy in Albania is predominantly Christian - even the names of Muslim settlements date back to Christian times

During the Great Schism of 1054, half the population remained Orthodox, half submitted to Rome, but, one way or another, until the 15th century Albania was a completely Christian country. The ancient temples and chapels of the country speak about this - take a look at the chapel of St. Astia in Durres (5th century) or the 6th century temple in Butrint, other temples have also been preserved. And now, when archaeologists excavate sites of ancient settlements, they constantly find churches and mosaics dating back to the first centuries of Christianity. Toponymy in Albania is predominantly Christian - even the names of Muslim settlements date back to Christian times. Villages and villages are named after St. George, Holy Mother of God etc.

– But for a long time Albania was under the Ottoman yoke. Am I right, Father Gregory?

– After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the Ottomans came to this land, and the majority of the Christian population was forced to flee Albania because the Albanians did not want to convert to Islam. Some Christians resisted, and we can say that after the fall of Constantinople, Albania became one of the outposts of the fight against invaders in Europe. And, by the way, the well-known Battle of Kosovo took place with the active participation of Albanian troops on the side of the Christian sovereigns, this is necessary to know, in my opinion. Later, the Albanian princes and their troops at the Lezha fortress prevented the Ottoman army from passing through their country - the Turks were rushing to Italy, to Rome. The story of our national hero Georg Skanderbeg dates back to this sad but heroic time. Being the son of an Albanian Grand Duke, he was taken hostage by the Ottomans and was brought up at the Turkish court along with his three brothers. Having become a prominent military leader, Skanderbeg, according to the Ottomans, was supposed to lead their army in the battle against Christian Hungarians near Serbian Nis. Then, not wanting to fight against his co-religionists, he, along with 300 soldiers, left the Turkish army and returned to Albania, to the city of Kruja, from where he began resisting the invaders. The struggle for Christianity continued for almost a quarter of a century. Let me emphasize: the struggle was precisely for Christianity, and not for nationality, because at that time it was not nationality that was considered decisive, but a person’s faith; this was natural for the Byzantine Empire.

– This means, if I’m not mistaken, the struggle was, let’s say, not for the Albanian national republic, or an empire, or a principality...

The Pope agreed with the Ottomans that they would leave the West alone, and in return they would receive the Balkans, and at the same time Constantinople.

– ...and for Orthodoxy! Only after the death of Skanderbeg did the Ottomans manage to suppress the resistance and Albania was captured. The influence and power of Skanderbeg were so great that the Pope even wanted him to lead a liberation crusade designed to cleanse Europe of infidels and whose goal was Constantinople. But not only the existing, but the increasing antagonism within Europe itself, the division of the Churches into Orthodox and Catholic did not allow these intentions to be realized, which is quite logical: If a kingdom is divided against itself, the kingdom cannot stand(Mark 3:24), which we have witnessed many times. The pope who initiated the supposed liberation crusade was replaced by another, who agreed with the Ottomans that they would leave the West alone, and in return they would receive the Balkans, and at the same time Constantinople.

If Christians had been united, then Byzantium would not have fallen - there were forces capable of pushing back the invaders

Let me remind you that Constantinople fell in 1453, and Skanderbeg, having fought the Ottomans for 25 years, died in 1468. Those. theoretically, one could assume that if Christians had been united, Byzantium would not have fallen - there were forces capable of pushing back the occupiers. But this, as we know, did not happen, and the Balkans, including Albania, fell under their rule for a long time. In order to get an idea of ​​what this time was like, it seems to me that it is enough to get acquainted with numerous news stories about ISIS - the methods and aggression are almost the same.

– How did life change for Christians at that time?

– Christians, in order to escape the Islamic sword, fled to the mountains, where they lived in relative safety: they were forced to pay tribute to the Muslims, but they did not dare to take active aggressive actions in the mountains. It so happened that Orthodoxy was preserved for a long time, primarily in the mountainous regions of the country. This continued until the 18th century, when Russia began to significantly increase its influence in the Balkans, which resulted in an improvement in the position of the Orthodox in this region. It was even allowed to build churches and cathedrals in cities, which was out of the question for a long time. For example, a majestic cathedral was built in the center of Tirana. But it was destroyed during communist times, and now the International Hotel is located on this site. The spectacle is expensive, but depressing. The new Resurrection Cathedral was recently built. But the previous cathedral was small, but this one can accommodate thousands of worshipers.

In the 30s of the twentieth century, Albania was occupied by the Italians. According to a survey conducted by the next conquerors, there were 69% Muslims, about 21% Orthodox Christians and 10% Catholics. In the 1940s, after the war, according to a communist survey, the Orthodox population was already about 26%. We are told about this case: when Enver Hoxha, the communist leader of Albania, went after the war to Stalin, his revered teacher, he asked: “How many Orthodox are there now in Albania?” Hoxha replied: "About 28% of the population." But then, as we know, bloody persecution for faith began, and atheism became the state religion of Albania, so to speak.

According to our most conservative estimates, at least a quarter of the population is Orthodox in Albania

In 2011, another survey was conducted with the support of the European Union. According to the data of this survey, which was not supported by almost any religious group in the country, there were many times fewer Orthodox Christians than those who declared themselves Orthodox. The Albanian Orthodox Church includes people of different nationalities - of course, Albanians, but also Greeks, Serbs, Romanians. And the survey was carried out so cunningly that people of different nationalities had to separate their nationality and religion - that’s why the number of Orthodox Christians turned out to be much smaller than what actually is. It’s like now in Ukraine: “a real Orthodox is only a Ukrainian Orthodox,” if he is Russian, then he doesn’t count – very Jesuitical. Orthodox Church Albania does not recognize the results of such a survey, of course. In fact, it cannot be that Orthodox Christians in our country suddenly turn out to be only 6.9% of the total population! Tens, hundreds of thousands of people gather in the country's churches - you should have seen the night Easter service, for example! Cities literally sparkle with candlelight. According to our most conservative estimates, at least a quarter of the population is Orthodox in Albania.

Now there are 7 metropolitans and 1 bishop in the Albanian Orthodox Church, they form the Holy Synod. About 150 priests and 4 deacons serve. We are waiting for a change - the theological seminary in Tirana is working very well and actively.

– How old are you, Father Gregory?

– So, you found communist times, which, judging by your words, were no easier in Albania than in Russia. I am your age, but I don’t remember the terrible persecutions, I only heard about them from my parents and grandparents. It looks like you had enough of them seriously. What were these times?

If you dared to cross yourself, your right hand was cut off as punishment.

– Life without God is unimaginable. And when an entire country suddenly declares itself as a country whose only ideology is not just the denial of God, but also the fight against Christ, it becomes simply scary. Indeed, Albania was the only country in the world whose ideology, even religion, was - in Russia, after all, it was easier at the end of the era of communism. There was total fear here. You were not only allowed, but actually imprisoned if you dared to cross yourself. They cut off their right hand as punishment - these are not horror stories from the Middle Ages, these are the stories of those who witnessed the persecution of Christianity.

At that time in Albania there was a priest who secretly baptized courageous people and their families, as it later turned out - more than a thousand people. Everything took place under the strictest secrecy, indeed, in the catacombs. The Liturgy was served there. But then the Siguri, the then security service, tracked him down and he was in prison. But this happened at the very end of communism, and he was released with the advent of the new government. The priest later became a bishop - this is Bishop Cosmas of Apollonia, he has already died, and his son serves as a priest. And meeting such people who experienced persecution quite recently, I think, inspired many former official atheists to become Christians. When the living testimony of Christ is before your eyes, it is difficult not to become a Christian. Now, of course, it’s easy - no one is going to pursue you. And perhaps some young people perceive Orthodoxy without thinking about the need for sacrifice, but these are the trends of new times. Now we have other difficulties.

– Yes? And what are these difficulties?

– which has little in common with conventional Islam. Many Arab countries They are investing huge amounts of money in Albania to spread radicalism. Before the financial crisis, when the economy of Orthodox Greece was strong, the Greek Orthodox Church successfully resisted this expansion, helping us. And now, with the weakness of the Greek economy, when the help of the Albanian Orthodox Church is no longer so great, the floodgates have officially opened through which money is pouring in from, say, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other countries whose attitude towards Christianity and the Orthodox Church requires no comment. Thus Albania falls under the influence of Islamic radicals.

– But you talked about national pride, about Skanderbeg. A hero of whom Albanians are rightfully proud, who, despite temporary difficulties, fought for Christianity. Can't his example help Albanians today? I'm talking about spiritual resistance. What is stronger: national pride or the petrodollar?

– In order for national pride to overcome all these dollars, reals, lire and so on, it is necessary that there be faith over pride. If Christianity is decisive in a person’s life, then you can safely face all sorts of dangers and even laugh sometimes: with Christ nothing is scary. Anything can be subsumed under nationality. Say, for example, that “a real Albanian is a radical Muslim extremist” or something like that. So Christ is needed, that’s first of all. There is a problem with this nationalism in general. If you say that you are Orthodox, then people who are sick with it begin to accuse you of “selling out to Russia, Greece, Serbia,” etc., in short, that you are a national traitor. And what kind of Christian is a traitor if the Albanian Orthodox Church, during the terrible events in Kosovo, sheltered here and provided food and housing for more than 30 thousand Muslim refugees?! By the way, Muslim refugees also found shelter in the Serbian Gracanica... And the mother of our Skanderbeg was a Serbian princess... Oh, all these flirtations on base feelings and political games on cheap emotions - what do they have in common with Christianity?! The centuries-tested rule is confirmed: the world never loved Christ, His disciples never lived peacefully, and this applies to Christians of all nationalities.

– It seems to me that it is impossible to imagine the life of the Church without monasteries. Are there such in Albania?

- Of course, thank God! In Elbasan, Ardenitsa, Durres, and other places, new ones are being built and ancient ones are being restored. Unfortunately, there are not enough monks yet. But we don't despair. After all, the main thing is not quantity, but quality. I remember once a few fishermen enlightened the whole world with the light of the Gospel. We would like such quality, right?

– What do you wish to the readers of our portal?

– Of the same – apostolic – quality. And also - get to know Albania, eliminate prejudices! In general, come.

(To be continued.)