Albania’s Orthodox Church enthrones its new Archbishop Joan

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Albania’s Orthodox Church on Saturday held an enthronement ceremony for its new Archbishop Joan, who succeeded Archbishop Anastasios following his death in January.

The ceremony was held at the Cathedral of Resurrection of Christ in downtown Tirana, formally launching Joan’s leadership as the archbishop of Tirana, Durres and all of Albania and also head of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania.

Earlier this month a seven-member Holy Synod unanimously elected Joan, the metropolitan of Korca, in the post left vacant after Anastasios' death in January.

Albania’s religious leaders, top officials and politicians, Orthodox religious leaders from around the world, a Vatican representative and Greece's ministers of defense and social cohesion attended the ceremony. Hundreds of faithful packed into the cathedral.

Bishop Nikolla of Apollonia and Fieri, speaking on behalf of the Holy Synod, said that Joan would continue “preserving religious harmony and co-existence,” like his predecessor Anastasios, who resuscitated the country’s church after the fall of communism.

“Albania’s Autocephalous Orthodox Church wants to live in peace with all,” said Archbishop Joan, adding that religious co-existence but should be “defended and further enriched.”

Albanian President Bajram Begaj said the ceremony sends a message “that transcends borders of faith and invites all goodwill citizens in building up a fairer, more humble, more united and fraternal society."

The Orthodox Church of Albania was declared autocephalous in September in 1922, ending its subordination to the archbishopric of Ohrid and the patriarchate of Constantinople.

Archbishop Joan, 69, born Fatmir Pelushi, grew up in a Muslim family. He was secretly baptized in 1979 by priest Kosmas Kyrios, who later became the bishop of Apollonia.

All forms of religion were banned in Albania for 23 years starting in 1967, when the country was completely isolated from the outside world and the communists seized the property of Islamic, Orthodox, Catholic and other churches.

Joan, whose family was persecuted by the communists, joined a small underground church group. He worked at the Tirana Psychiatric Hospital until 1990, when the communist leadership collapsed. In 1990, he fled to Italy and then to Boston, where he studied at the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.

In 1992, when Albanians fled the poor country en masse, Joan contacted Archbishop Anastasios offering his return to contribute to the church’s reconstruction. He is the sixth head of the Albanian Orthodox Church.

According to the 2023 census, Orthodox believers in Albania make up about 7% of the 2.4 million population, although the church says the actual number is higher. The tiny Western Balkan country is about half Muslim, followed by the Catholics, Orthodox and other religious communities and nonbelievers, who all live in harmony.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Albanian President Bajram Begaj delivers a speech during an inauguration ceremony of Albania's Orthodox Church for its new Archbishop Joan, at the Cathedral of Resurrection of Christ, in Tirana, Albania, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj)

A general view of an inauguration ceremony of Albania's Orthodox Church for its new Archbishop Joan, at the Cathedral of Resurrection of Christ, in Tirana, Albania, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj)

An Orthodox priest arrives to attend an inauguration ceremony of Albania's Orthodox Church for its new Archbishop Joan, at the Cathedral of Resurrection of Christ, in Tirana, Albania, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj)

A general view of an inauguration ceremony of Albania's Orthodox Church for its new Archbishop Joan, at the Cathedral of Resurrection of Christ, in Tirana, Albania, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj)

Priests attend an inauguration ceremony of Albania's Orthodox Church for its new Archbishop Joan, at the Cathedral of Resurrection of Christ, in Tirana, Albania, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj)

People gather during an inauguration ceremony of Albania's Orthodox Church for its new Archbishop Joan, outside the Cathedral of Resurrection of Christ, in Tirana, Albania, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj)

Newly appointed Orthodox Archbishop Joan of Tirana, Durres and All Albania, center, attends an inauguration ceremony at the Cathedral of Resurrection of Christ, in Tirana, Albania, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj)

Newly appointed Orthodox Archbishop Joan of Tirana, Durres and All Albania, center, prays during an inauguration ceremony at the Cathedral of Resurrection of Christ, in Tirana, Albania, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj)

Newly appointed Orthodox Archbishop Joan of Tirana, Durres and All Albania, center, prays during an inauguration ceremony at the Cathedral of Resurrection of Christ, in Tirana, Albania, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj)

Newly appointed Orthodox Archbishop Joan of Tirana, Durres and All Albania, looks on during an inauguration ceremony at the Cathedral of Resurrection of Christ, in Tirana, Albania, Saturday, March 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Vlasov Sulaj)

PHOENIX (AP) — UConn's Geno Auriemma was not a happy man.

With the officiating. With his team's performance. With South Carolina coach Dawn Staley.

The Huskies coach ripped into the officiating during a live TV interview and then had a heated argument with Staley in the final seconds of their 62-48 loss to the Gamecocks. But a rough night for UConn stars Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd was the main cause of the Huskies' poor showing in the national semifinals of the women's Final Four on Friday night.

A minute after his sideline blowup, Auriemma stalked off the floor alone, stewing over the nightmare performance.

Fudd — a senior — shouldered the blame, saying she felt she let the team down.

“I thought some of our shots were a little rushed, some of our offense was a little rushed, out of pace,” Fudd said. “But when we got a lot of good looks, a lot of shots in our offense, shots that we are used to taking, we just didn’t hit very many.”

The Huskies hadn't faced much on-court adversity this season, winning almost all of their previous 38 games by a lopsided margin. Once it hit on Friday, UConn wasn't able to respond.

Auriemma said the officiating didn't help.

“There were six fouls called that quarter — all of them against us," Auriemma said on the broadcast at the end of the third quarter. "And they’ve been beating the (expletive) out of our guys down there the entire game. I’m not making excuses, ’cause we haven’t been able to make a shot. But this is ridiculous.

“Their coach rants and raves on the sideline and calls the referee some names you don’t want to hear. And now we get 6 to 0, and I got a kid with a ripped jersey, and they go, ‘I didn’t see it.’ Come on, man. It’s for a national championship.”

Auriemma wasn't finished showing his displeasure. The 72-year-old coach walked toward Staley in the final seconds of the game before the two had an angry exchange, with assistants having to get in between them. Auriemma blamed the dustup on Staley not following the proper protocol for a pregame handshake.

Once the game finally ended, Auriemma slowly walked off the court and down the tunnel without a postgame handshake with the Gamecocks. The teams did shake hands.

UConn has relied all season on Strong and Fudd, a pair of All-America selections who were steady throughout the season. Against South Carolina, Strong finished with just 12 points on 4-of-16 shooting. Fudd scored eight on 3-of-15 shooting, including 2 of 9 from long range.

The Huskies' lone offensive bright spot came midway through the third quarter. Kayleigh Heckel, Blanca Quiñonez and Fudd each hit a 3-pointer in a 90-second span to cut the deficit to 40-39, but UConn was never able to take the lead. South Carolina took a 44-39 advantage into the fourth quarter and slowly pulled away.

UConn scored just nine points in the fourth, shooting 2 of 14 from the field. The 48 points were easily a season low. The Huskies were also dominated on the glass, with South Carolina holding a 47-32 advantage.

It's true that it was a physical game. Bodies were flying under the basket for the majority of the night for both teams. UConn was whistled for 17 fouls, while South Carolina was called for just eight.

The problem for Strong and Fudd was they couldn't hit shots even when they had a little space to operate. The 6-foot-2 Strong — AP's Player of the Year — was bothered by South Carolina's interior size, with several of her inside shots rattling in and out.

“Well, sometimes we do forget she’s a sophomore,” Auriemma said. “She’s carried a huge load for this team. An awful lot falls on her. Tonight she’ll be the first to tell you that she is not proud of how her game went today.”

Strong's teammates couldn't pick up the slack. Ashlynn Shade finished with 10 points and Quiñonez added seven. Heckel missed a layup late in the game and the broadcast showed her starting to cry walking back down the court.

Teammates encouraged her and one even lifted her chin, but the damage was done.

UConn’s 54-game winning streak is over.

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma reacts after during the second half of a woman's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game between UConn and South Carolina at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, left, and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma argue after a woman's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, left, and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma argue after a woman's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma motions towards the court during the first half of a woman's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game between UConn and South Carolina at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma reacts after during the second half of a woman's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game between UConn and South Carolina at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

UConn head coach Geno Auriemma reacts during the second half of a woman's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game between UConn and South Carolina at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley, left, and UConn head coach Geno Auriemma argue after a woman's NCAA college basketball tournament semifinal game at the Final Four, Friday, April 3, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)