The international academic symposium “God, Homeland, Man,” dedicated to the 1,700th anniversary of Christianity being proclaimed the state religion of Georgia, has opened in the country.
The event is taking place in Tbilisi at the Radisson Hotel. It is attended by Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Shio III, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, and President Mikheil Kavelashvili, news agency IPN reports.
The stated goal of the symposium is an in-depth examination of Georgia’s Christian heritage, its historical, cultural, and spiritual significance, as well as showcasing the country’s role in the development of world civilization.
As part of the forum, Georgian and international scholars, historians, theologians, cultural figures, and clergy will present their research papers. The conference will run for several days and include a series of thematic sessions.
Opening the symposium, Patriarch Shio III addressed topics such as faith in the modern world. In particular, he stated that technology should serve humanity, not humanity technology.
«Science, technology, and the immense accessibility of information and knowledge have provided modern humanity with boundless opportunities. Undoubtedly, this is a great blessing, yet it also entails responsibility.
Technology must serve man, not man technology. Knowledge must not alienate us from faith, and progress must not cause us to forget spirituality. The simplification of life, values, and ideologies must not deprive us of free will, love, empathy, humility, and conscience.
Times change, but the Christian calling remains unaltered: to labor and live with faith in the Lord, with love for God and neighbor, and with self-sacrifice,» the Patriarch noted.
Shio III also addressed citizens living in the occupied territories. According to him, Georgia’s ancestral historical regions must continue their existence in peace and unity with the motherland. The head of the Georgian Orthodox Church also mentioned Georgian emigrants.
«Today, our thoughts and prayers are especially directed toward the people living in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region. These ancestral historical lands of Georgia, through the faith of Christ and love, must peacefully continue their existence alongside the motherland. With God’s help, this will come to pass, and brotherly unity and love will once again be restored between us.
Undoubtedly, the shared joy of these anniversary days is also shared by our compatriots living abroad. As children of one nation and one Church, we are rejoiced that even far from their homeland, they preserve their faith and their bond with the Church and their fatherland. We unceasingly pray for them and await their return.»