Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated that a “new page has opened” today in the history of Georgia’s national and spiritual life with the election of the new Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia. The head of the Georgian government noted his belief that the pastoral service of Shio III will serve a united and strong future for Georgia. “Your Holiness and Beatitude Shio III, with the greatest respect, I congratulate you on your election to this exceptionally honorable and, at the same time, profoundly responsible mission. We believe that you will worthily continue the great spiritual legacy that our Holy and Beatific Patriarch Ilia II built over decades with exceptional wisdom and love. The Mother Church has always been an unshakeable pillar of Georgia’s statehood and the nation’s spiritual resilience […]
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated that a “new page has opened” today in the history of Georgia’s national and spiritual life with the election of the new Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia.
The head of the Georgian government noted his belief that the pastoral service of Shio III will serve a united and strong future for Georgia.
“Your Holiness and Beatitude Shio III, with the greatest respect, I congratulate you on your election to this exceptionally honorable and, at the same time, profoundly responsible mission. We believe that you will worthily continue the great spiritual legacy that our Holy and Beatific Patriarch Ilia II built over decades with exceptional wisdom and love.
The Mother Church has always been an unshakeable pillar of Georgia’s statehood and the nation’s spiritual resilience. It is the Orthodox faith that has preserved for us those eternal values that have brought our country to the present day. I believe that your pastoral service will serve the peaceful, united, and strong future of our Motherland.
May God protect our country and its new spiritual father!” Kobakhidze stated.
Newly Elected Patriarch Shio III: I accept the office in obedience and God’s grace
Additionally, Shio Mujiri, the Locum Tenens (temporary representative) of the Patriarchal Throne, was elected as the new Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia (the 142nd in the country’s history) at the 14th Extended Assembly in the Sameba (Holy Trinity) Cathedral on May 11, 2026. From this day forward, he is Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Shio III.
Up to 1,200 delegates participated in the Extended Assembly. Shio Mujiri received 22 votes, Metropolitan Job received 9, and Metropolitan Grigol received 7 votes.
The enthronement of the new Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Shio Mujiri — Shio III — will take place at the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta on May 12. According to church statutes, the solemn ceremony of the new head’s induction into office in the Georgian Orthodox Church must take place on the first religious holiday following the conclusion of the voting and the election of the new patriarch.
As a reminder, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II passed away on March 17 at the age of 93. Starting March 18, a public lying-in-state was held at the Sameba Cathedral. Thousands of citizens paid their respects to the Georgian Patriarch. Throughout the mourning period, the flow of people wishing to say farewell to the head of the GPC was continuous, 24 hours a day.
In many cases, citizens had to stand in line for several hours to enter the cathedral. Some had to stay overnight on the grounds of Sameba due to the large influx of parishioners in order to enter the church by morning.
Ilia II was buried on March 22 in the Sioni Cathedral.
To organize the funeral and ensure security during the days of mourning, a state commission was established, headed by the Prime Minister of Georgia and including members of the government and three representatives of the Georgian Orthodox Church.
Ilia II was elected Catholicos-Patriarch on December 23, 1977. His Holiness’s enthronement took place on December 25, 1977.
