An official delegation from the Ecumenical Patriarchate, led by Metropolitan Nikitas (Lulias) of Great Britain, has arrived in Georgia and met with the new Patriarch of Georgia, Shio III, according to a report on the “World Church News” page.
A photograph has been published showing the delegation members standing to the left of Shio III.
As of the time of publication, the Georgian Patriarchate has not commented on the meeting.
It is also noted that on May 17, Family Purity Day, representatives of various Orthodox churches will participate in a joint liturgy in the country.
The Sunday service will be led by Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III.
As a reminder, May 17 is observed in Georgia as Family Purity and Parents’ Respect Day. The holiday was initiated by the late Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II, and established in 2014.
The holiday was introduced to emphasize family and traditional values and is marked annually by religious processions, including in Tbilisi, moving from the city center to the Sameba Cathedral.
Originally, the date of May 17 in Georgia was associated with rallies in support of LGBT rights and the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. However, in 2013, an attempt to hold such an event in Tbilisi led to clashes and massive counter-protests.
