Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke of the “irreplaceable void” left by his passing in the eulogy he delivered for Archbishop Anastasios. The Prime Minister described him as “a shining example of wisdom and action,” adding that “courage and hope were the two compasses that always guided Anastasios on his remarkable journey.”

“‘We dare to hope’—I believe these three words sum up the life and work of the hierarch we bid farewell to today. Because courage and hope were indeed the two compasses that always guided Anastasios on his remarkable journey. A journey that consistently stood by humanity and its rights. Sometimes as a humble missionary in Africa among starving children. Sometimes as a quiet supporter of students in Greece during the dictatorship. And, of course, as the great restorer and tireless pioneer of Orthodoxy in Albania. We bow before the greatness of this extraordinary personality because the Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania was, at the same time, both an intellectual of faith and a simple servant of his fellow human beings,” said the Prime Minister.

“In other words, a shining example of wisdom and action. His passing creates an irreplaceable void—not just in his homeland and among our diaspora, not just in all the places where the heart of Hellenism beats, for which he was a true beacon for decades—a beacon of love and service. A beacon of kindness and simplicity, of persuasion and effectiveness. A beacon of Orthodoxy. And of the Orthodox Christian faith,” Mitsotakis added.

He continued: “Most of those present here know well what Anastasios accomplished from the moment he arrived in Albania. That distant year of 1991. In a desolate country, following the grip of an authoritarian regime. And yet, drawing strength from his deep faith, he laid the foundations of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church, established more than 400 parishes, built and restored hundreds of churches, ordained 145 new clergy members, while also founding dozens of educational, healthcare, and charitable institutions—a small, or perhaps a great, miracle. Amidst the ruins.”