Metropolitan Shio (Mujiri) of Senaki and Chkhorotsqu was elected the new Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia during the historic Expanded Council of the Georgian Orthodox Church, held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi.
The Voting Results
Metropolitan Shio, who had been serving as Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne following the repose of the late Patriarch Ilia II, was elected with 22 votes during the voting process conducted among the hierarchs of the Georgian Orthodox Church.
Metropolitan Job Akiashvili of Mroveli and Urbnisi received nine votes and Metropolitan Gregory (Berbichashvili) of Poti and Khobi received five votes.
The First Statements of Patriarch Shio III
Following the announcement of his election, the new Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Shio, stated: “I accept my election as Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia with humility, with the grace and hope of God.”
He continued by saying: “It is difficult for me, at these moments, to express my spiritual state, which accompanies this election that has bestowed upon me both such a great honor and such a heavy cross. I ask you to pray for me.”
After the conclusion of the Ecclesiastical Council held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi, Patriarch Shio III thanked the clergy and faithful and noted that it was both a great honor and a profound responsibility for him to be named the new Patriarch.
“First of all, I thank Almighty God for this great grace that He has granted me. I thank the Most Holy Theotokos, the host of saints of the Orthodox Church, the protector of the Diocese of Senaki and Chkhorotsqu, Saint Alexios of Senaki, and all our worthy spiritual laborers for their help. I thank the hierarchs of the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church for the great trust they have shown in my person. I thank every individual who worked tirelessly for the worthy conduct of today’s proceedings. Special thanks to the Georgian people for their love, prayers, and support.
I also wish to thank the clergy and faithful of the Diocese of Senaki and Chkhorotsqu for the love they have shown and for the years we spent together serving God and the Church. It is a great grace and mercy of God, but at the same time the cross of shepherding and responsibility is heavy. It is impossible for a person fully to comprehend divine providence and why God desired to grant me such grace. On the one hand, I perceive the greatness and honor of this calling, and on the other, my own human weakness and smallness.
Please pray for me, pray for the future of our nation, so that with love and peace we may glorify the Lord and continue worthily our ministry for the benefit of the Church and the people,” declared the Catholicos-Patriarch.
Enthronement to Take Place on May 12
The enthronement of the new Patriarch will take place on May 12 at the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral.
The date of the enthronement was announced by the new Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Shio himself.
All 39 members of the Holy Synod took part in the ballot. The counting of votes took place behind closed doors. The chairman of the vote-counting commission, Metropolitan Anania (Japaridze) declared the result.
At the expanded council, only members of the Holy Synod were entitled to cast votes in the election of the Catholicos-Patriarch, whilst the delegates participating in the broader work of the council held an advisory vote only.
The newly elected Patriarch now assumes responsibility for guiding the Georgian Orthodox Church into a new era while preserving the unity, spiritual heritage, and historic traditions of the Georgian nation.
Who is Metropolitan Shio (Mujiri)
Born Elizbar Mujiri on February 1, 1969, in Tbilisi. After completing his secondary education and attending music school, he entered the Tbilisi State Conservatory in 1988.
In 1991, he entered the Shio-Mgvime Monastery as a novice and was tonsured a monk in 1993, receiving the name Shio. He served in various capacities within the monastery, including those of refectorian and steward. He was ordained a deacon in 1995 and a priest in 1996 by His Holiness Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II of All Georgia.
He subsequently served in various churches in Tbilisi and Moscow while pursuing theological studies at institutions in Batumi and Moscow. In 2003, he was elected Bishop of the newly established Diocese of Senaki and Chkhorotsqu, with his consecration taking place at Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. He was elevated to the rank of Archbishop in 2009.
On November 23, 2017, he was appointed Locum Tenens of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia. In 2018, he was granted the right to wear the Diamond Cross.
