President of the Republic, Mr. Bajram Begaj, meets His Excellency Donato Oliverio, Archbishop of the Lungro Eparchy
Today, at the headquarters of the Lungro Eparchy, President of the Republic, Mr. Bajram Begaj, met His Excellency Donato Oliverio, Archbishop of the Eparchy, which encompasses all the Arbëresh churches in Italy.
The President appreciated the hospitality extended by the Archbishop.
The Head of State expressed his special appreciation for the Archbishop’s role in keeping the Arbëresh churches in Italy united as their spiritual leader and a unifier of all Arbëresh people.
Drawing on recent praise by Pope Francis regarding the Albanian model of religious harmony, the President expressed pride in this virtue of the Albanians, not only those living in Albania but also in the exceptional model of the Arbëresh in Italy, who respect various faiths yet continue to preserve their religious rites.
“I wish to express my gratitude and appreciation on behalf of myself and the Albanian people for the extraordinary role the Lungro Eparchy has played in defending our identity values, spiritual and linguistic-cultural values.
Additionally, churches and monasteries have been centers of culture, foundational to the National Renaissance and the awakening of our national consciousness.
Today, the role of faith institutions is even greater. Faith institutions are not only guardians and promoters of knowledge, culture, and education but also play an irreplaceable role in addressing the major challenges of modernity, phenomena that harm communities, families, and fundamental human values”, stated President Begaj.