Albania Celebrates Orthodox and Catholic Easter Amid Heightened Security

Tirana, Albania | Tirana Echo – Albanian Christians celebrate both Orthodox and Catholic Easter today amid heightened security and terror alert, in a rare show of police presence across Tirana.

Orthodox believers gathered in and around ‘Christ’s Resurrection’ Cathedral in Tirana where Archbishop Anastasios led believers over midnight through the famous ritual of breaking red-painted boiled eggs in symbol of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.

The main Catholic mass was held at ‘St Paul’s’ Cathedral in Tirana where the top Catholic Archbishop Monsignor George Frendo gave a message for Albania’s politicians who are currently battling a crucial justice reform and the possibility of postponing elections.

“I have a word for the country’s politicians today. The path to solving the current political crisis is only through dialogue. It is in the spirit of dialogue that both sides talk, but also to listen with conscience and with full maturity for the good of the nation, rather than that of political parties. It is called dialogue, not monologue,” – said Monsignor Frendo.

However, both Easter ceremonies in Tirana have been held under heightened security measures as a terror threat alerted Albania’s security services.

Increased number of special security forces were seen around both cathedrals in the central streets of Tirana as Christian believers filled in the capital city’s public spaces.

Daily Gazeta Shqiptare publishes unseen photos of police presence around churches in Tirana

Other foreign embassies such as the U.S. Embassy in Albania had urged their citizens “to exercise particular caution, particularly on crowded areas.”

On its website it writes that “terrorists in the region have previously sought to attack soft targets, to include churches and other places of worship, pedestrian malls, sports arenas, concert halls, and public gatherings.”

Albania, a country of several religions proud of their cohabitation model, has a a largely nominal Muslim-dominated population, but during its atheist communist times managed to eradicate religious extremism.

The country has been very successful in identifying and blocking any rare terrorist attempts to attack the small peaceful Balkans country.

Albania as mall country of three major religions in the Balkans, boasts a unique model of religious co-habitation and peaceful harmony with believers on both sides participating at each-other’s religious festivals.