The head of the Public Relations Department of the Georgian Patriarchate, Andria Jagmaidze, has not ruled out that a delegation of the Georgian Orthodox Church (GOC) might travel to Moscow should an invitation be extended. Representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church had previously visited the Georgian Patriarchate.
“Very often, relations between the Churches are misunderstood—viewed through a lens whereby people judge them from a political perspective. Inter-church relations have evolved over centuries and rest on their own foundations. Therefore, your question is prompted precisely by this. Given our relations with the Russian state, and given that it has occupied our territories, some consider dialogue between the Churches to be impossible as well. The relations continue, and they will continue—that is a fact; I consider this not merely possible, but a fact,” Jagmaidze said in response to journalists’ questions.
According to him, at this stage, “nothing concrete has been received” from the Moscow Patriarchate regarding an invitation to the Georgian Patriarchate.
“If an invitation means setting a specific date and beginning direct preparations, then that has not happened. However, in general, whenever a delegation from any Church arrives or when we pay a visit, a return visit is always discussed. Nevertheless, there has been nothing concrete.”
When asked why a delegation from the Georgian Patriarchate should travel to Moscow given that the Russian Federation is waging war in Ukraine and the Kremlin’s course is supported by the Moscow Patriarchate, Andria Jagmaidze replied:
“Naturally, developments take place in many Churches that may be unacceptable, and we will neither emulate nor endorse this, but that does not mean we must sever relations.”
He also explained that there is a wide range of issues the Georgian Patriarchate would raise should a visit to Moscow take place.
“There are a tremendous number of issues. A large Georgian community lives in Russia; they are believers, and there are Georgian churches there. There are Georgian churches in Russia recognized by the Russian side as part of Georgia’s heritage, and we are engaged in dialogue regarding the restoration of one of the churches, to which they themselves invited us, and our scholars will be involved in the restoration work. The occupied territories will remain the central topic of discussion so that church life there can be settled. Thus, there are many issues. All matters serving our interests will be discussed.”
Furthermore, according to the archpriest, during the visit of the ROC representatives, the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia raised the issue of the Georgian territories occupied by Russia.
“The paramount issue raised by Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III during that meeting, which effectively served as the backbone of the entire conversation, was precisely the occupied territories, our internally displaced persons, the inability of the Georgian Church to conduct services there, and the inability of the population to visit ancestral graves even on days of remembrance.
In this context, discussions centered on trying to identify paths and steps toward generating at least some positive development. We understand that the Church lacks the power to undo the occupation or unilaterally shape interstate relations. Therefore, to a certain extent, we remain hostages to these political circumstances,” Jagmaidze stated.