Bishop Ilia (Katre)

Bishop Ilia (Katre) of Philomelion (1937-__)

Ilia may be spelt Ilya, Elias, Elijah.

Historical background

Albania is a country which is neighbour to Greek, Serbian, Montenegran and Macedonian territories. There are Albanian-speaking people who live in each of the other countries nearby.

The ancient people of Albania were the Illyrians, and their Indo-European distinct language is generally considered to be either Illyrian or Thracian in its historical foundation. Its people were Orthodox Christians from early Christian times. Along with other peoples, they were a part of the Roman Empire until the Ottoman conquest. As with other peoples, some of the people became Muslim.

Orthodox Christianity was all but wiped out during the communist period (1945-1991), but the Orthodox Christian Faith has quickly revived since then, and particularly under the strong spiritual leadership of Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and Albania.

Early life of Ilia Katre

In 1937, Ilia Katre was born in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, USA, to Albanian immigrant parents who had arrived in the USA in 1920.

During his youth, Ilia attended the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint George in Sault Sainte-Marie. It was the example of the parish there that influenced his decision to become a priest.

During this period, he learned and mastered both the Albanian and Greek languages while he completed his secondary education.

By 10 September, 1950, the Patriarchate of Constantinople had ordained Bishop Mark (Lipa) to be Titular Bishop of Levka and Bishop of the Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America (which he organised under the Church of Constantinople in North America). It was to this diocese (headquartered in South Boston, Massachusetts) that Ilia belonged.

Although Ilia chose to serve in the Albanian Church, on the advice of his father, he trained to serve both Albanian and Greek Churches. This advice was later to be very useful.

Higher education

Although Ilia wished to serve the Albanian community, he decided to pursue a theological education at the Holy Cross Theological Seminary in Brookline, Massachusetts, which would enable him also to serve the Greek community. He graduated from Hellenic College (Holy Cross) in 1961 with a B.A. degree.

Marriage, 1961

In 1961, he married Helen Sotira. In due course, they received from the Lord 2 children : Sotir Mark and Eugenia.

Ordinations, 1961

In 1961, after the marriage, Ilia Katre was ordained to the Holy Diaconate, and then to the Holy Priesthood.

Pastoral service ; further education ; pastoral assignments

Priest Ilia Katre was assigned to the Holy Trinity Albanian Orthodox Church in Boston, Massachusetts.

Further study

After having served at Holy Trinity Church until 31 August, 1983, Father Ilia again enrolled at Holy Cross Seminary, where he received the Master of Divinity degree in 1986.

He then also accepted an assignment as Dean of Student Affairs at Hellenic College and Holy Cross Seminary in Brookline, Massachusetts. He served in this capacity until 1988.

During all this time, Presbytera (Prifteresha) Helen Sotira served as librarian at the Hellenic College for 22 years.

Saint John Greek Orthodox Church, Las Vegas, 1988

In 1988, Priest Ilia Katre was assigned to be the pastor of Saint John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church in Las Vegas, Nevada. During his years of service at Saint John’s Church, he was involved in the construction of a new Temple, a community centre, and an administration building for that community. He served in this parish until 2002.

Attempts to restore the Church of Albania, 1990

The Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America played a crucial role in the re-establishment of the Church of Albania. In 1990, when the Ecumenical Patriarch, Demetrios I (Papadopoulos) was visiting North America, the diocesan clergy and laity petitioned him to prepare a plan for the restoration of the Church of Albania. Such a concern had earlier occupied the attention of Patriarch Athenagoras (Spyrou) (who was of Albanian descent).

In 1991-1992, Father Ilia was twice sent to Albania by Patriarch Bartholomew I (Archontonis) to assist in the re-organisation and re-building of the Albanian Church that had been effectively destroyed while the country was under communist rule.

Bereavement, 2001

On 19 October, 2001, Presbytera Helen Sotira, reposed in the Lord in Las Vegas, at the age of 62.

The Funeral Services for the Burial of a Lay-person were offered at Saint John the Baptist Church in Las Vegas.

After the funeral services, her body was transferred to be interred at the Riverside Cemetery in Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan.

Presbytera Helen was survived by her husband, and by her daughter, Eugenia Kourlos of Boston ; her son, Mark of Reno ; her mother, Dhimitra Sotira of Las Vegas ; her sisters, Dora Jorgavan of St. Louis, Missouri, and Antoinette Wadlow of Henderson, Nevada ; her brother, George Sotira of Las Vegas, and 2 grandchildren.

Election to become a bishop, 2002

In 2002, Father Ilia was elected by the Holy Synod of the Church of Constantinople to become a bishop.

Episcopal ordination, 2002

On 12 May, 2002, he was ordained to the Holy Episcopate in Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey, by Patriarch Bartholomew (Archontonis), together with Metropolitan Anthony (Georgiannakis) of San Francisco ; Metropolitan Meliton (Karas) of Philadelphia (Fehir), and Metropolitan Demetrius (Kommatas) of Sebastē.

Episcopal service

At the episcopal ordination, Bishop Ilia (Katre) was given the title "Bishop of Philomelion" (now called "Akşehir", a former city and diocese in Central Anatolia, Turkey), and he was assigned to lead the Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America.

In 2004, Bishop Ilia was transferred by Patriarch Bartholomew to the Church of Albania, to the omophor of Archbishop Anastasios (Yannoulatos) of Tirana (Albania), who then assigned Bishop Ilia to be the Dean of the Resurrection of Christ Theological Academy at Saint Vlash’s Monastery near Durrës, Albania. During this time, he expanded, strengthened, and lengthened the course to a full 4-year programme. After serving as dean for 3 years, Bishop Ilia returned to the omophor of the Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew I, and he continued his service as ruling bishop of the Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America.

In Canada, in 2006, Bishop Ilia accepted under his omophor the Albanian Mission of Saint Astius in Toronto, Ontario. This mission had previously been established and served by a priest of the Archdiocese of Canada (OCA) who had subsequently been deposed from the Holy Priesthood. In addition, under his omophor, the Albanian Diocese made an outreach to new communities in Montréal, Washington and Baltimore.

Bishop Ilia serving in Toronto at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 2008

From December, 2010, Bishop Ilia also served as acting abbot of the Patriarchal and Stavropegic Monastery of Saint Irene Chrysovalantou in Astoria, Queens, New York, until proper order had been restored.

Elevation to metropolitan, 2019

In 2019, the Holy Synod of the Church of Constantinople elevated Bishop Ilia (Katre) to the dignity of metropolitan, and his title was adjusted from "Titular Bishop of Philomelion" to "Titular Metropolitan of Philomelion". It was decided to give this dignity to Metropolitan Ilia because of the significance of his many contributions to the Church of Constantinople (particularly in the USA), to the Church of Albania (including the Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America) and elsewhere.

Metropolitan Ilia serving in Chicago

— Bishop of Philomelion 2002-2019. Preceded by : ___.

— Metropolitan of Philomelion 2019-___. Succeeded by : ___.

— Bishop of the Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America 2002-2019. Preceded by : Bishop Mark (Lipa) and Bishop Stephen (Lasko).

— Metropolitan of the Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America 2019-____. Succeeded by : ___.

Reflections

Metropolitan Ilia (Katre) spent many years of labour (from when he was yet a priest) in supporting the attempts to restore the Church of Albania after its destruction by the communist government.

In 1991, the (then) Protopresbyter Ilia Katre, who had served for many years as dean of students at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Massachusetts, took up residence in Albania. He organised and opened the Resurrection of Christ Seminary in Durrës with the blessing of the newly arrived patriarchal exarch, Anastasios.

Resurrection of Christ Theological Academy, Durrës, Albania

Father Ilia also directed the enthronement of Archbishop Anastasios (Yannoulatos) as Archbishop of All Albania in August, 1992.

Persons and delegations from the North American diocese made major financial contributions to the Church of Albania, and they also applied political pressure on the government for the return of confiscated property to the Church.

In 2002, Bishop Ilia returned to Albania to lead the seminary for 3 years, during which he expanded, strengthened, and lengthened the course to a full 4-year programme.

Bishop Ilia was a representative of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania at the Orthodox-Roman Catholic Dialogue in July, 2000, and at the Orthodox-Anglican Dialogue in June, 2005.

Bishop Ilia (Katre)

Writings

“The Albanian Orthodox Church”

References

Orthodoxwiki biography

Russian Wikipedia biography

Brief biography of Bishop Ilia

Additional information :

Tarasar, Constance J, ed., "Orthodox America 1794-1976 : Development of The Orthodox Church in America" (Syosset, NY : The Orthodox Church in America Department of History and Archives, 1975). ASIN : B000ZLZAUE.

Wyrwoll, Nikolaus ed., “Orthodoxia 2014-2015" (Regensburg : Ostkirchliches Institut, 2015). ISBN 978-7245-1959-1.

Wikipedia article about Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania

Orthodoxwiki article about the Church of Albania

Orthodoxwiki biography about Archbishop Anastasios (Yannoulatos) of Albania

Wikipedia biography of Archbishop Anastasios (Yannoulatos) of Albania

Wikipedia article about Orthodoxy in Albania

Wikipedia article about the Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America

Orthodoxwiki article about the Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America

Patriarch Bartholomew (Archontonis)

Metropolitan Theophan (Noli)

Bishop Stephen (Lasko)

Bishop Mark (Lipa)