Georgian Orthodox Patriarch Fears Possible Schism

Upon returning from his recent visit to Constantinople Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Ghudushauri-Shiolashvili) of the Georgian Orthodox Church expressed reservations about the convening of a general council of the Local Orthodox Churches, saying that he feared holding such a council in the near future could lead to a schism within world Orthodoxy due to the assorted issues between the Orthodox Churches that remain contentious and unresolved. Patriarch Ilia also expressed disagreement with the Ecumenical Patriarchate's recent reinterpretation of the 28th canon of the Council of Chalcedon that would give the Church of Constantinople jurisdiction over Orthodox Christians living outside the canonical territories of the existing Orthodox Churches. More (in Russian) here.

Georgian Orthodox Patriarch Blames Outside Forces for Division with Abkhazia

Commenting on the 19th anniversary of the Abkhazian war for independence, Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of the Georgian Orthodox Church has said that Georgians and Abkhaz need one another and that it is outside forces that are trying to ruin the "good relations" between the Georgian and Abkhaz nations, not the tide of Georgian nationalism that has swept the country since the collapse of the Soviet Union. More (in Greek) here.

International Celebrations for the Anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' Held in Kiev

In celebration of the anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' in 988 and in honor of today's feast of St. Vladimir Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow, Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of Mtskheta-Tbilisi, and Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kiev together with the participation of Metropolitans Vladimir (Canterean) of Chisinau and Philaret (Vakhromeyev) of Minsk and hierarchs of the Russian, Georgian, Romanian, Cypriot, Ukrainian, and Belorussian Orthodox Churches concelebrated the festal Divine Liturgy on the square of the Kiev Caves Lavra's Cathedral of the Dormition.

The services were celebrated in a mixture of Georgian, Greek, and Slavonic, with choirs from Georgia and Ukraine singing the responses. Today's celebrations marked the first time that a ruling patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church has visited and served in Kiev. More (in Russian) on today's celebrations can be found here.

Photo of the Day: Patriarchal Divine Liturgy at the Kiev Caves Lavra

Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of the Russian Orthodox Church, Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of the Georgian Orthodox Church, and Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church during their concelebration this morning of the festal Divine Liturgy in honor of the anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'. More pictures of the celebratory services, which took place on the square in front of the Kiev Caves Lavra's Cathedral of the Dormition, can be found here.

Russian, Georgian Orthodox Patriarchs Meet in Kiev

Meeting in Kiev yesterday Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow and Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of Mtskheta-Tbilisi confirmed the close ties between the Russian and Georgian Orthodox Churches despite the political tensions between the Russian and Georgian governments over Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

While the patriarchs agreed that the newly independent Transcaucasian states remain part of the canonical territory of the Church of Georgia, it was apparent that disagreements over how to approach the care of the Abkhazian and Ossetian Orthodox faithful remain as it was left to future negotiations to decide details in the pastoral oversight of the Churches of Abkhazia and Ossetia, the first of which is served primarily by Russian Orthodox clergy and the second of which has submitted to one of the Old Calendrist synods in Greece.

On issues concerning the Orthodox Churches as a whole discussed at the Kiev meeting the patriarchs were in agreement. More on their talks can be found here and here.

Photo of the Day: Supplication on St. Vladimir's Hill

From left to right, Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of the Russian Orthodox Church, and Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of the Georgian Orthodox Church during today's thanksgiving on Kiev's Vladimir Hill in celebration of the Baptism of Rus'. More pictures can be found here.

Georgian Orthodox Patriarch Begins Visit to Ukraine

Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II of the Georgian Orthodox Church has begun his visit to Ukraine to participate in the upcoming celebration of the anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'. During his time in Kiev Patriarch Ilia will reportedly discuss with Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of the Russian Orthodox the possibility of his making a pastoral visit to the Orthodox Church in Abkhazia, which has vocally rejected the jurisdiction of the Church of Georgia. More here.

Tbilisi Marches Protest New Legislation on Religious Organizations

Large protest marches took place over the weekend in Tbilisi, Georgia, to protest the Georgian government's enactment of legislation allowing the country's minority religious organizations to register with the state. The marches, the largest in recent years, were fueled by concerns that southeastern Georgia's Armenian minority will use the new legislation to gain equality with ethnic Georgians and by the Sunday sermon of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of the Georgian Orthodox Church, who said the new laws "humiliated the Church" and those behind them would "definitely be punished." More here and here.

Georgian Parliament Passes Law Allowing Registration of Armenian Orthodox Diocese

The Georgian Parliament has finally passed a law to allow for the registration of Georgia's largest minority religious organizations, first among them the Armenian Orthodox Church's diocese in Georgia. Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of the Georgian Orthodox Church opposed the new law, saying that national debates should be held to establish whether a majority of Georgians supported the measure. Georgian ultranationalists also opposed the law, saying that neighboring Armenia and Azerbaijan should be required to register the Georgian Orthodox Church in their countries first despite the miniscule size of their Georgian communities. More here and here.

Georgian Orthodox Patriarch to Attend Anniversary Celebrations in Kiev

Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of the autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church has received a delegation of the Georgian Orthodox Church at his residence in Kiev. During the meeting the plans for next month's celebrations in honor of the 45th anniversary of Metropolitan Volodymyr's consecration, in which Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of the Georgian Orthodox Church will participating, were discussed. More (in Ukrainian) here.

Armenian Orthodox Church Comments on Catholicos Karekin's Visit to Georgia

Commenting on the recent visit of Catholicos-Patriarch Karekin II (Nersessian) of Echmiadzin to Georgia Bishop Arshak (Khachatrian), chancellor of the Armenian Orthodox Church of Echmiadzin, said that throughout Catholicos Karekin's time in Georgia he faced obstacles put in place by both the Georgian government and the Georgian Orthodox Church. Bishop Arshak also noted that the communique released by the Georgian Orthodox Church on the meeting of Catholicos Karekin and Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of Mtskheta-Tbilisi did not represent both Churches despite the Georgian Orthodox Church's claim to the contrary.

Despite Patriarch Ilia's comments yesterday on Catholicos Karekin and the latter's visit, during today's press conference Bishop Arshak expressed his hope that relations between the Churches of Armenia and Georgia would continue to develop. More here and here.

Georgian Orthodox Patriarch Says Armenian Orthodox Counterpart "In A Hurry"

Commenting on his failure to release a joint statement with Catholicos-Patriarch Karekin II (Nersessian) of Echmiadzin during the latter's visit to Georgia, Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) said that his Armenian Orthodox counterpart was "in a hurry" and "young and should gain more experience."

The two patriarchs failed to release a joint statement on their work towards resolving long-standing issues between the Armenian and Georgian Orthodox Churches because of Patriarch Ilia's insistence that Armenia transfer churches in northern Armenia to the tiny Georgian minority in Armenia in exchange for the return of historically Armenian Orthodox churches belonging to Georgia's large Armenian minority that are currently used by the Church of Georgia. More here.

Catholicos Karekin Meets with Parents of Jailed Armenian Activist in Georgia

During a visit to the Armenian community in southeastern Georgia, Catholicos-Patriarch Karekin II of Echmiadzin has met with the parents of jailed Armenian activist Vahan Chakhalyan. The release of Chakhalyan was brought up during Catholicos Karekin's recent meeting in Tbilisi with Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of the Georgian Orthodox Church. More here.

Armenian, Georgian Orthodox Catholicoses Agree to Committees to Resolve Issues

The Armenian and Georgian Orthodox Churches have agreed to establish committees to work towards the resolution of the standing issues between the two churches and the Armenian and Georgian nations, among them the return of appropriated Armenian Orthodox churches in Georgia and of appropriated Georgian Orthodox churches in Armenia. The decision to establish the committees was made during a meeting between Catholicos-Patriarchs Karekin II (Nersessian) of Echmiadzin and Ilia II (Ghudushauri-Shiolashvili) of Mtskheta-Tbilisi. More here.

Catholicos Karekin Visits Georgia

Catholicos-Patriarch Karekin II (Nersessian) of Echmiadzin has begun a visit to Georgia at the invitation of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of Mtskheta-Tbilisi. The visit is apparently the first to what today is Georgia undertaken by a first hierarch of the Armenian Orthodox Church of Echmiadzin since the late 1800s. During his stay in the country Catholicos Karekin will meet with Patriarch Ilia, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, and the clergy and faithful of the Armenian Orthodox Church in Georgia. More here.

Georgian Orthodox Patriarch Praises Late Abkhazian President

Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of the Georgian Orthodox Church has praised the newly reposed Abkhazian President Sergei Bagapsh in his condolences to the latter's family as "a dignified member of the Abkhazian people and [an] Orthodox Christian." More here.

Patriach Ilia Calls for Clemency from the Georgian Government

Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of the Georgian Orthodox Church has called on the government of President Mikheil Saakashvili to be merciful to the members of opposition parties detained after the recent Independence Day demonstrations in Tbilisi. During the breakup of the demonstrations earlier this week Patriarch Ilia blessed clergy to shelter supporters of the opposition in a church near the Georgian Parliament. More here.

Anti-Saakashvili Protesters Dispersed, Arrested in Tbilisi

The Georgian police have dispersed protesters at Independence Day celebrations in Tbilisi at the urging of controversial President Mikheil Saakashvili. Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of the Georgian Orthodox Church did not attend the parades that were held following the incident, in which one died, many were injured, and others were detained by the police. More here.

Georgian Orthodox Patriarch Calls for Unity, Peace

After festal services in honor of St. Nicholas this past Sunday Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) of Mtskheta-Tbilisi said that he was praying for "peace and a united spirit" in Georgia, calling on Georgians to "not say or do things to one another that would make them feel ashamed afterwards." More here.

Foundation of New Cathedral Laid in Tbilisi

Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Ghudushauri-Shiolashvili) of Mtskheta-Tbilisi has laid the foundation for a new cathedral dedicated to the Mother of God the Gatekeeper (also known as the Iveron Icon) in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi. Participating in the service were Archbishop Feognost (Guzikov) of Sergiev Posad, auxiliary to the Moscow Patriarchate and superior of Holy Trinity Lavra, and representatives of the other Local Orthodox Churches. More (in Russian) here.