The first official visit of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to the Albanian Orthodox Church took place from April 28 to 30, 2018.
During his visit, Patriarch Kirill was accompanied by Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR), Archbishop Sergiy of Solnechnogorsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate administrative secretariat, Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, DECR vice-chairman, Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, DECR secretary for inter-Orthodox relations, Archpriest Andrey Bondarenko, acting head of the Patriarchal protocol service, and Rev. Alexander Volkov, head of the Patriarchal press service.
At the Maria Teresa Airport, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church was met by Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albania, members of the Holy Synod of the Albanian Orthodox Church, Russian ambassador to Albania A. Karpushin and other officials.
During the first day of his visit, His Holiness celebrated a thanksgiving at the Cathedral of the Resurrection in Tirana.
Later that day, Patriarch Kirill had a meeting with Archbishop Anastasios at the archdiocese building.
On April 29, the heads of the Russian and Albanian Churches celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Cathedral of the Resurrection in Tirana.
It was followed by a grand dinner on the occasion of Patriarch Kirill’s visit to the Albanian Orthodox Church.
On the same day, Patriarch Kirill attended the presentation of the Russian version of the book by the Primate of the Albanian Church ‘Unto the Uppermost Part of the Earth’ devoted to the history and today’s tasks and prospects of the Orthodox mission.
During his visit to Albania, Patriarch Kirill gave an exclusive interview to the state Albanian Radio and Television.
In the evening a grand dinner was given on behalf of the President of the Republic of Albania Mr. Ilir Meta at the Palace of Brigades in Tirana, on the occasion of the visit of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill to the Albanian Orthodox Church.
On April 30, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church met with the President of the Republic of Albania Mr. Ilir Meta.
His Holiness also met with Prime Minster of the Republic of Albania Edi Rama.
In conclusion of his visit to Albania, Patriarch Kirill came to the St. Vlash Monastery and the Holy Resurrection Theological Seminary of the Albanian Orthodox Church.
Later that day the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church departed for Moscow.
