Archbishop Paisi ( sq, Kryepeshkop Paisi, secular name Pashko Vodica; 1881 – 4 March 1966) was the Primate of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania from 1949 to 1966. He succeeded Archbishop Kristofor and was succeeded by Archbishop Damian. He was the father of

Josif Pashko Josif Pashko (May 25, 1918 - September 5, 1963) was an Albanian politician during the country's socialist period. Biography Josif Pashko was born into a peasant family in the village of Vodica, Kolonja. In 1938 he graduated from the Normal Schoo ...

, a high ranking communist leader.

Life

Pashko Vodica was born in the village of Vodicë,

Kolonjë Kolonjë is a municipality in Korçë County, southeastern Albania. It was created in 2015 by the merger of the former municipalities Barmash, Çlirim, Ersekë, Leskovik, Mollas, Novoselë, Qendër Ersekë and Qendër Leskovik. The seat of th ...

region in southern

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

, back then

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

. He attended primary school in his hometown, but did not complete it. In 1910, the now-married Pashko ordained. In 1912 he was arrested by the Ottoman authorities because of his activities for the Albanian national movement. In 1920 he received the dignity of

Archimandrite The title archimandrite ( gr, ἀρχιμανδρίτης, archimandritēs), used in Eastern Christianity, originally referred to a superior abbot (''hegumenos'', gr, ἡγούμενος, present participle of the verb meaning "to lead") who ...

- his wife was now deceased. Two years later he was part of the Orthodox Congress of Berat that the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania declared Autocephaly. Pashko joined the National Liberation Front during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

fighting along the Communist forces.Stavro Skendi - Momente nga historia e Kishës Orthodhokse Shqiptare deri në vitet ’50 të shek. XX (in Albanian)
/ref> On April 18, 1948 Archimandrite Pashko ordained bishop of

Korçë Korçë (; sq-definite, Korça) is the eighth most populous city of the Republic of Albania and the seat of Korçë County and Korçë Municipality. The total population is 75,994 (2011 census), in a total area of . It stands on a plateau some ...

by Archbishop Christopher (Kisi) with Russian Orthodox Bishop Nestor (Sidoruk) (1904-1951), He had the strong support of Communist authorities in succeeding Kisi in 1949, never disappointing them, even though because of his marriage he was not eligible for being elected. He openly showed his communist affiliation in his telegrams sent to

Enver Hoxha Enver Halil Hoxha ( , ; 16 October 190811 April 1985) was an Albanian communist politician who was the authoritarian ruler of Albania from 1944 until his death in 1985. He was First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania from 1941 unt ...

and to

Alexius Alexius is the Latinized form of the given name Alexios ( el, Αλέξιος, polytonic , "defender", cf. Alexander), especially common in the later Byzantine Empire. The female form is Alexia ( el, Αλεξία) and its variants such as Alessia ...

, Patriate of Moscow and all Russia. The appointment of Paisi was followed by the formation of a new Holy Synod comprising Pais, Bishop of

Tirane Tirana ( , ; aln, Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea ...

, Durres, and all Albania, Kiril Naslazi, bishop of Berat, Fillothe Duni, bishop of Korce, Damian Kokoneshi, bishop of Gjirokaster, and

Suffragan bishop A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Anglican Communion, a suffragan bishop is a bishop who is subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop (bishop ordinary) and so is not normally jurisdiction ...

Sofron Borova.
Paisi visited the

USSR The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nationa ...

twice. By early 60', the pressure on the church was accelerating, though Paisi never stood against the authorities.

References

{{authority control 20th-century Albanian clergy 20th-century Eastern Orthodox bishops Albanian religious leaders Eastern Orthodox Christians from Albania Primates of the Albanian Orthodox Church 1881 births 1966 deaths People from Kolonjë