LV pastor to take over helm of Albanian Church in U.S.

Stephen Curran

Friday, July 12, 2002 | 9:16 a.m.

A celebration is planned to honor a Las Vegas pastor chosen to join the ranks of his church's leaders.

Bishop Ilia Katre of St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church was elevated May 10 in Constantinople to the position of titular bishop for the Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America.

The position has been empty since the previous titular bishop's death in 1982.

A party is scheduled 6 p.m. July 20 at The Orleans to send Katre to his new post, which will include overseeing the Albanian Orthodox churches of Boston and Chicago, areas with large Albanian-American populations. While he has not made a formal decision on where he will live, the titular bishop's residence has historically been in Boston.

"The job gives me a certain flexibility of movement," Katre said. "It will help me reach out to this growing (Albanian) population."

The Orthodox traditions have their roots in the earliest days of Christianity. The patriarch of Constantinople, modern-day Istanbul, leads the international church.

While his elevation means Katre's primary home will no longer be Las Vegas, it is an honor for a local pastor to attain such a position, Helen Stock, a longtime member at St. John's, said.

"It's not every day that our community has a ranking bishop," she said.

Katre has served as vicar general for the Albanian Orthodox Diocese of America and has been a pastor at St. John's since 1988. During his tenure in Las Vegas, he has overseen the construction of a new church and development of a community center and administrative building, scheduled for completion in November.

Admission to the celebration is $100 and reservations are needed. To RSVP, call the St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church at 221-8245.