Pilgrimage to Albania and Macedonia 

Bishop Geoffrey writes:

I am delighted to have been invited to lead the Anglican and Eastern Churches Association pilgrimage to Albania and Macedonia this September.

Albania was for many years hidden and isolated – the bastion of a virulent Communism where the dictator, Enver Hoxha, had banned religion in 1967. That lasted for 30 years and Christians, Muslims and others all suffered. The paranoid dictator peppered the countryside with pill-boxes against invasion. Now Hoxha is no more, the international airport at Tirana is name after the most famous Albanian of all – Mother Teresa – and there is a remarkable revival of religion. The Orthodox Church has as its inspirational leader Metropolitan Anastasios, a remarkable man with a warm affection for Anglicans and ecumenical relations, who had the rare distinction of a personal invitation from Archbishop Rowan to the Lambeth Conference.

Two visits to Albania last year (my first) revealed a vibrant church, a wonderfully beautiful country, and ancient churches with frescoes that had been locked up and hidden for many years. We will have the opportunity of seeing something of this revival and heritage.

Across the border in Macedonia we will have the opportunity of seeing the monasteries and ancient churches around the marvellously beautiful Lake Ohrid, a hidden jewel, with Ohrid itself a bustling town and once in the Middle Ages a centre of learning and Orthodoxy for much of the Balkans.

This promises to be a rich and exciting pilgrimage and I much look forward to introducing pilgrims to the Orthodox churches of this region.

+GEOFFREY GIBRALTAR

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Itinerary

Day 1 Tuesday 1st September

Scheduled flight by British Airways from Gatwick to Tirana.  Dinner and overnight at our Tirana hotel.

Day 2 Wednesday 2nd  September

Today we visit the National Historical Museum and National Art Gallery.  We hope to meet Metropolitan Anastasios of Albania during our time in Tirana.  Overnight in Tirana

Day 3 Thursday 3rd  September

We depart Tiran and travel by coach to Korce.  It might be possible to visit the Ethnographic Museum in Elbasani on route. Dinner and overnight in Korce.

Days 4 and 5 Friday and Saturday 4th/5th September

During our 2 days in Korce, we will visit the new Cathedral, National Museum of Medieval Art, the 13th Century church of our Lady at Mborja, Voskopoja, Boboshtice. Both nights dinner and hotel in Korce.

Day 6 Sunday 6th  September

Today we hope to attend the Liturgy in Korce Cathedral before leaving Korce to drive across the Albania/Macedonia border to Sveti  Naum at the southern end of Lake Ohrid.  Here we will visit the monastery and the springs.  Dinner and overnight at Sveti Naum.

 Days  7 and 8 Monday and Tuesday 7th  and 8th September

This morning we depart Sveti Naum and drive to Ohrid. During our two days here we plan to visit the new reconstruction of a prehistoric settlement on the lake shore, some of the many churches in the town, the National Studio for paper production and the City Museum.   There will also be free time, which will allow us the opportunity to visit the Old Bazaar or take a boat trip on the lake.  Both nights dinner and hotel in Ohrid

Day 9 Wednesday 9th  September

We drive to Debar visiting St Stefan Monastery and Cave Church and the village of Vevcani and the church of St. Nicholas.   Dinner and overnight in our hotel in Debar.

Day 10 Thursday 10th September

Visit to the Monastery of Sveti Jovan Bigorski and possibly to the Nunnery of Sveti Gjorgi Pobedonoset  (St. George the Victorious). Dinner and overnight at the Monastery.

Day 11 Friday 11th September

We drive to Skopje visiting on the way the Church of St. Cyril and Methodius  and the Painted Mosque in Tetovo.  We depart Skopje Airport at 4pm by Croatia Airline, and fly via Zagreb (change of aircraft involved) to London, arriving Heathrow at 7.15pm.