The situation of the Georgian Orthodox Church in the occupied territories of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region was the main subject of discussions during a meeting with a delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate, according to Archpriest Andria Jagmaidze, head of the Georgian Patriarchate’s Public Relations Department.
The Moscow Patriarchate delegation, headed by Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, chairman of its Department for External Church Relations, was received by Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III of All Georgia at the Georgian Patriarchate.
According to Archpriest Andria, the meeting initially included congratulations from the Moscow Patriarchate and the Patriarch of Moscow to Shio III on his election as Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia.
However, discussions focused primarily on the difficulties facing the Georgian Church in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region.
“It was emphasized that this is the main problem negatively affecting relations between the two peoples,” Jagmaidze said, adding that ways must be found to overcome the obstacles affecting relations.
He described the situation in the two regions as an “unhealed wound” for both the Georgian Orthodox Church and Georgia as a whole.
According to Jagmaidze, both sides acknowledged that there are opportunities to work toward addressing issues concerning church life in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region.
“Overall, this meeting gives hope that certain steps and ways may subsequently be found to bring some positive developments to these painful issues,” he said.
The participants also recalled the ministry and contribution of former Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II.
According to the Georgian Patriarchate, discussions additionally addressed possible steps to establish and strengthen contacts with local Orthodox communities in the two regions.
Source: 1tv.ge
