Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew congratulated Georgia on the religious feast of Svetitskhovloba, as well as on the 1,700th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity as the country’s state religion.
“From the venerable center of Orthodoxy at the Phanar, we greet you with fraternal love on the occasion of the 1,700th anniversary of the proclamation of Christianity as the state religion in Georgia. We are spiritually united with all who have gathered for the feast of Svetitskhovloba at the Svetitskhoveli Patriarchal Cathedral to venerate the Holy Tunic of the Lord and the Life-Giving Pillar,” reads the message from Bartholomew I, which was delivered at Svetitskhoveli Cathedral by Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze.
The message also highlights that “the holy churches of Mtskheta stand as a vivid testament to the indissoluble bond between Christian worship and the history of the Georgian people.”
“To His Holiness and Beatitude, Shio III, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi, Metropolitan of Pitsunda and Tskhum-Abkhazia, our beloved brother and concelebrant in Christ: grace and peace to you from God.
From the venerable center of Orthodoxy at the Phanar, we extend our fraternal greetings to Your Holiness and Beatitude and to the entire plenitude of the Holy Church of Georgia on the occasion of the 1,700th anniversary of the proclamation of Christianity as the state religion in Georgia. We are spiritually united with all who have gathered for the feast of Svetitskhovloba at the Svetitskhoveli Patriarchal Cathedral to pay homage to the Holy Tunic of the Lord and the Life-Giving Pillar, giving thanks to the Lord for this momentous event in the history of the God-loving Georgian nation.
At the origins of today’s celebration stands Saint Nino, Enlightener of Georgia and Equal-to-the-Apostles. Having arrived from Cappadocia, the holy virgin Nino preached the teachings of Christ in ancient Iberia, and her labors paved the way for the conversion of King Mirian and Queen Nana. The grapevine cross, inseparable from her ministry, remains to this day a revered sign of the omnipotence of the crucified and risen Lord. Her example teaches every generation that the Holy Gospel is proclaimed through the lives of those who dedicate themselves to prayer and loving service to God. Over the centuries, the Church of Georgia has upheld this apostolic succession through the steadfast devotion of the faithful, the purity of the martyrs, and the ascetic struggles of the monastics. Even during times of the gravest trials, the confession of the Orthodox faith sustained and preserved the spiritual life of the Georgian people. The holy churches of Mtskheta stand as a vivid testament to the indissoluble bond between Christian worship and the history of the Georgian people.
We also welcome with profound respect the international symposium organized in Tbilisi dedicated to exploring Georgia’s spiritual and cultural heritage. The celebration of this jubilee fills us with a sense of immense responsibility. Those who have embraced the faith through holy baptism are called to bear witness to it in their everyday lives. Young people find strength in divine doctrine and the example of ascetics who live by the Gospel. Those in our society who suffer from poverty, illness, and loneliness stand in need of the Savior’s compassion and help. May this anniversary date renew in all of us the resolve to faithfully honor this calling and reaffirm respect for the dignity of every human being.
Your Holiness and Beatitude, the joy of your Church is shared by the entire Orthodox world. In the words of Holy Scripture, we confess: one Lord, one faith, one baptism. Each local Church contributes to and enriches our unity within the Body of Christ. May these celebrations deepen the bonds between us and reinforce our readiness for joint ministry, so that our witness may reveal to the world the reconciliation and hope granted by the Savior.
In March of this year, we were in Tbilisi alongside your Church to perform the funeral service for the ever-memorable Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II. We pray unceasingly for the repose of his immortal soul.
Your Holiness and Beatitude, as you begin your path as First Hierarch, we wholeheartedly wish you wisdom and fortitude in shepherding the flock entrusted to your care. Through the prayers of the Most Holy Theotokos, Saint Nino, and all the saints of the Georgian land, may our Lord Jesus Christ preserve Your Holiness and Beatitude and the entire Georgian people in good health and unity of mind. For the hierarchs, clergy, monastics, and faithful gathered to celebrate this sacred jubilee, we invoke God’s abundant grace and blessing,” the Ecumenical Patriarch’s message emphasized.