On June 10, 2026, Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III of Georgia received representatives of the Gelati Academy of Sciences at the Patriarchal Residence in Tbilisi.
Welcoming the members of the Academy, the Georgian Patriarch expressed his gratitude for their work and highlighted the importance of cooperation between the Church and the scientific community. He noted that contemporary challenges and difficulties can only be overcome through a combination of spiritual and intellectual efforts.
For his part, Metropolitan Ioane (Gamrekeli), President of the Gelati Academy of Sciences, thanked Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III on behalf of the Academy’s members for his interest in the institution’s activities and for the warm reception.
During the meeting, participants discussed the ongoing restoration and development of the Gelati Academy of Sciences, its historic mission, principal fields of activity, and the scientific achievements attained thus far. The Academy’s leadership presented its strategic vision and future action plan, aimed at strengthening research potential and promoting the study of Georgia’s national and cultural heritage.
Special attention was given to the need to support young researchers and to integrate Gelati’s scholarly and educational traditions into the contemporary academic environment. Discussions also focused on the development of digital humanities, the creation of digital archives, and the implementation of innovative technologies, as well as the challenges facing the Academy and possible ways to address them.
Participants emphasized the Academy’s unique role in advancing Kartvelian studies, preserving national memory, and safeguarding Georgia’s intangible cultural heritage for future generations. They stressed that the institution is called to continue the spiritual, educational, and scientific legacy established centuries ago by the historic Gelati Academy.
At the conclusion of the meeting, and following a unanimous proposal and decision by the Academy’s members, Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III was elected a member of the Gelati Academy of Sciences.
