His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I has sent a warm congratulatory message to the new Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Shio III, wishing him a long, blessed, and fruitful primatial ministry. The statement reads:
“Your Holiness and Beatitude, it is with great joy that we, personally and together with all those serving in the Ecumenical Patriarchate, received the joyful news of Your Beatitude’s worthy election to the ancient and glorious patriarchal see of All Georgia, following the newly departed and ever-memorable Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II, who performed a luminous and historic service for the worthy Georgian Church and all of Orthodoxy.
With brotherly love, we congratulate you, Your Beatitude! We pray for you to be granted a long, blessed, and fruitful primatial ministry — for the glory of God, for the benefit of your faithful flock, for the peace and stability of the Georgian people, as well as for harmonious cooperation with us and other primates of the Orthodox churches — for Orthodox unity, cooperation, and joint service to the world,” the letter from Bartholomew I states.
