Congress of Berat

The Congress of Berat, also known as the Albanian Orthodox Congress, was a meeting held on 13 September 1922, in Berat, Albania among Albanian Orthodox people, which decided the autocephaly of the Church of Albania. According to the decisions of the Congress, religious services could be held in the Albanian language.[1][2]

History

The initiative for the congress was taken by the mayor of Durrës, Kostë Paftali, who had the goal to unite the Orthodox Albanians and sent telegrams to the Orthodox circles all over the country. Every district elected two delegates. On 10 September 1922 in the main school of Berat the delegate gathered and presented their credentials. A special committee who verified their credentials was headed by Perikli Kone, secretary Vasil Llapushi and members Vangjel Çamçe, Stathi Kondi and Taq Buda. The following were the delegates:[3]

The Congress started its work on 11 September 1922 and Josif Qirici proclaimed the autocephaly of the Albanian Church. On 13 September 1922 a statute was approved by the congress.[4] A temporary synod was elected, headed by Vasil Marku. The synod was composed by four clerics and four laymen, the four clerics being the deputy metropolites of Korçë, Durrës, Berat and Gjirokastër, and the laymen being Dhosi Havari (Korçë), Simon Shuteriqi (Durrës), Tol Arapi (Berat) and Stathi Kondi (Gjirokastër).[5]

Reaction from the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople

Meletius IV of Constantinople sent a Patriarchal exarch to Albania, Bishop Hierotheos of Miletopolis, who arrived in Korçë on 27 November 1922. On 19 December 1922, he sent a letter to the newly created synod, congratulating them for the initiative and expressing his faith that the Ecumenical Patriarchate will, in due time, recognize the Albanian Orthodox Church. Hierotheoswrote a report for Meletius IV and proposed that an Albanian delegation be invited to Istanbul. The delegation, headed by Vasil Marku, went to Istanbul in March 1923, but could not obtain a promise for full recognition, as Patriarch Meletius IV would give only a partial autonomy, and that would have been contrary to the provisions of the statute. On 23 August 1923 Metropolite Kristofor Kisi volunteered to serve the Albanian Orthodox Church.[6]

References
  1. Hilmi Kolgjegja (2010). Perla shqiptare. Toena. ISBN 9789992711606. Më 13 shtator 1922, Kongresi Ortodoks i Shqipërisë, mbledhur në Berat i përfaqësuar nga 33 delegatë, shpalli Autoqefale Kishën Ortodokse shqiptare dhe vendosi zhvillimin e meshës në gjuhën shqipe.
  2. "Autoqefalia e Kishës Ortodokse të Shqipërisë në marrëdhëniet shqiptaro-greke, 1918-1937 - Ardit Bido, University of Tirana, 2015" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 September 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  3. Llukani 2010, pp. 84–86
  4. Llukani 2010, pp. 86–87
  5. Llukani 2010, p. 90
  6. Llukani 2010, pp. 91–92

Literature
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