Mtskheta, Mtskheta-Mtianeti Region, Georgia, October 15, 2026
Pat. Shio and Met. Rastislav. Photo: Public Relations Service of the Georgian Patriarchate
Two Orthodox primates stood together at the altar of Svetitskhoveli Cathedral on Wednesday to mark 1,700 years since Georgia proclaimed Christianity its state religion.
His Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III of All Georgia presided at the festal Liturgy, concelebrated by His Eminence Metropolitan Rastislav of Prešov of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, reports Romfea.
The service was also held for the feast of Svetitskhovloba. Members of the Holy Synod of the Georgian Church and delegations from several other Local Orthodox Churches concelebrated with the two primates.
Public Relations Service of the Georgian Patriarchate
In his homily, Patriarch Shio said Christianity “preserved for us our land, our language, our identity, our nationality.”
“We firmly believe that if we don’t deviate from this path, the grace of God, which has always protected Georgia from visible and invisible enemies, will continue to protect and shield us,” Patriarch Shio said.
The Patriarch traced the history of the faith in Georgia. He spoke of the Holy Robe of the Lord being brought to the country in the first century, and of the preaching of the Apostles Andrew the First-Called, Simon the Zealot, Matthias, Bartholomew and Thaddaeus. He then turned to St. Nino, who came in the 4th century and converted King Mirian and Queen Nana. He noted that autocephaly was granted to the Georgian Church in the 5th century through the labors of the holy King Vakhtang Gorgasali, who is buried in the cathedral.
Public Relations Service of the Georgian Patriarchate
He quoted the third-century Hieromartyr Cyprian of Carthage on the Robe as a symbol of unity: “The possession of Christ’s garment cannot be achieved by one who violates and divides the Church of Christ.” Patriarch Shio also said the cathedral holds the mantle of the Prophet Elijah, which he said was brought to Georgia by Jews 600 years before the Nativity of Christ and is buried there.
He also remembered the late Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II, whose nearly half-century of service he described as tireless ministry, fatherly care, and prayer.
Metropolitan Rastislav then addressed the Georgian primate, conveying the greetings of the clergy and faithful of the Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, and spoke of the spiritual bonds between the two Churches.
Photo: Public Relations Service of the Georgian Patriarchate
“We come to you as brothers, united by the same Orthodox Apostolic faith, the common Holy Eucharist, and the common inheritance of our Holy Fathers,” the Czech-Slovak primate said.
He also linked the missionary work of St. Nino to that of the Holy Martyr Ludmila in spreading Christianity in the Czech lands. As a sign of brotherly love, he presented Patriarch Shio with a holy icon containing a relic of St. Ludmila.
Metropolitan Bessarion of Spain then read a message from Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, in which he sent brotherly greetings to Shio and the faithful of the Georgian Church and expressed his spiritual participation in the celebrations.
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