A few days ago, a historical event took place in Georgia: the election of a new Patriarch. All of Georgia has been very uneasy and prayerful during these days. The repose of our beloved Patriarch Ilya II, who headed the Georgian Orthodox Church for about fifty years, orphaned us, so to speak, and since then we have waited impatiently for a new Patriarch, who, like Ilya II, would selflessly and faithfully serve Christ and the people of Georgia, and facilitate the unity of the nation, founded in the Faith of our people.
And not only we prayed. In this time so many people have written to me and called me, saying that they are praying and worrying about who will stand at the head of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Many such people were from Russia; after all, the Russian Orthodox Church and our Church have canonical and spiritual unity, many close historical ties, and communication which has never been cut off even in the most difficult times for our two countries. And it’s very important that the connection between our brotherly Orthodox Churches not be broken, but would instead strengthen and develop.
The election of the Patriarch took place in the main cathedral of the Georgian Orthodox Church Tsminda Sameba (Holy Trinity). More than a thousand delegates from different dioceses came here, representatives of both clergy and laymen. However only the thirty-nine members of the Holy Synod could vote for the new Primate of the Church.
The results of the election, which was won by Vladyko Shio who received 22 votes, were greeted with applause by many of the delegates. Metropolitan Shio himself responded with restraint:
“I receive my election as the Catholicos-Patriarch of all Georgia with humility, the Grace of God and hope.”
The spiritual path of the newly elected Patriarch of all Georgia was thus:
Elizbar Mujiri, as they called him then, was born on the first of February, 1969. He studied at the Tbilisi Conservatory and was highly gifted, one of the most promising young musicians. A great future was predicted for him, but his spiritual searchings lead him to the service of God. Leaving his studies at the Tbilisi Conservatory unfinished by only a year, the future Patriarch became a novice at the Shio-Mgvime monastery, where he was tonsured into monasticism with the name Shio in 1993, in honor of St. Shio of Mgvime. In 1995, he was ordained a hierodeacon, and after a year ordained a hieromonk by the Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia Ilya II, and appointed rector of the Church or St. George in Tbilisi.
In 1999, the future Patriarch graduated from the Batum seminary, then continued his theological education in Russia in the Moscow Theological Academy, and after that, in the Orthodox Humanitarian University of St. Tikhon. He was the rector of a Georgian parish at a Moscow church of the Great-Martyr George, combining pastoral ministry with his studies. In 2003, by the decision of the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church he was elected bishop of the diocese of Senaki and Chkhorotsku, was elevated to the rank of archbishop in 2009 and in the next year, to the rank of metropolitan.
In November of 2017, by decree of Patriarch Ilya II, Metropolitan Shio was appointed locum tenens of the Patriarchal throne.
On May 12, on the day after the election of Vladyka Shio as the Catholicos-Patriarch of all Georgia, on the commemoration day of St. Andrew the First-Called, enlightener of Georgia, at the main Patriarchal cathedral of Georgia (Svetitskhoveli) the enthronement of the newly-elected patriarch was held. During the triumphant liturgy, the new patriarch was given the symbols of Church authority: the cross-panagia, the staff and two episcopal panagias. At the end of the main part of the enthronement the ancient Patriarchal miter was placed on Patriarch Shio. A huge number of people from all over Georgia came to the ancient capital of Georgia Mtskheta, to be present at such an important event.
A huge number of people from all of Georgia came to the ancient capital of Georgia Mtskheta, to be present at such an important event.
The enthronement was broadcasted live by all the government channels of Georgia and lasted four and a half hours. “Axios! Axios! Axios!”—which means “He is Worthy!” in Greek—resounded through the church, and at the end of the service, “Mravazhalmier”, which means “Many Years” in Georgian.
After his enthronement the new Patriarch of all off Georgia made an appeal to his flock:
“Pray for me, for the future of our Church. Your prayer gives me strength to serve the Orthodox Church and the Georgian people. I can’t just wait at the ambo for people to come to me; it is necessary to open wide the doors of the Church and go out to those who, like prodigal children, can’t decide to come themselves. Peoples’ hearts have grown cold, thousands of enticements replace faith, moral values, and family. Therefore the burden of pastorship has become twice as heavy. The future of the country—our children—need our love and support, we need to strengthen them faith in Christ, national values, and respect for traditions. We are all the family of Ilya II; he was our great father, and it is our duty to continue his great labour. It is impossible to know the purposes of God and find an answer to the question of why God desired to place on me the burden of such great grace. However, I recognize the honor, and the greatness, and the weight.”
Protect, O Lord, my motherland Georgia and her Patriarch!
