On 22 January, the Ambassador of the Sovereign Order of Malta to Albania Stefano Palumbo attended the enthronement ceremony of the new Archbishop of Tirana-Durrës, Monsignor Arjan Dodaj, which took place at St. Paul’s Cathedral, in Tirana.

The Holy Father appointed Monsignor Arjan Dodaj as the new Archbishop of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Tirana Durres, to replaces Archbishop George Frendo who held this post before this appointment. Archbishop Frendo has retired.

During his speech at the Ceremony, Monsignor George Frendo said: “The time has come for me to leave this country, not because I am upset, during the 25 years I have served in Albania I have never regretted coming as a missionary to this country. I have always loved Albania and Albanians and I have always found love and respect in this people. I thank the Albanian people who became my people. I leave Albania with a lot of regret.”

Monsignor Arjan Dodaj, the new Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Tirana-Durrës, was previously the Auxiliary Bishop of this Metropolitan Archdiocese, appointed by Pope Francis on April 9, 2020, consecrated a bishop by Monsignor George Frendo on September 15, 2020 in the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Tirana. Monsignor Dodaj is the third archbishop of Tirana-Durrës after the fall of communism, succeeding Monsignor Rrok Mirdita and Monsignor George Frendo in this fundamental role for the Albanian Catholic Church.