ABSTRACT
The elected bishop, Theofan Noli, was not present for the declaration of autocephaly in Tirana’s main Orthodox cathedral, as he was celebrating the ninth anniversary of independence in Vlora. The Albanian government openly supported Visar Xhuvani, a candidate viewed as a loyal clergyman capable of achieving autocephaly. Archimandrite Visar Xhuvani then took the floor and declared the Church’s autocephaly. Xhuvani had assumed control of the Berat proceedings to declare the Church’s autocephaly, telling everyone that he had the government’s support to lead the Church. The fragility of a state that could barely send a telegram underscores the tremendous victory in declaring the autocephaly, favoured by the shifting terrain of international circumstances. The swift solution of these two issues enabled the internal consolidation of the Church, allowing it to focus on the two foremost matters: recognition of autocephaly and the establishment of the Holy Synod.
