Patriarch Shio III on Monday, May 18, received at the Patriarchal Residence in Tbilisi the members of the delegations from the Local Orthodox Churches who had traveled to the Georgian capital to participate in the concelebration and convey their greetings on the occasion of his election and enthronement as the new Primate of the Orthodox Church of Georgia.
The new Patriarch welcomed Metropolitan Rastislav of the Czech and Slovak Church, along with representatives of the Orthodox Churches of Alexandria, Russia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Poland, and Albania.
Also present was a representative of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (OCU), under Metropolitan Onufriy, Metropolitan Serhiy of Ternopil and Kremenets.
Later on, the President of Georgia, Mikheil Kavelashvili, hosted guests at the Presidential Palace who had arrived in Georgia in connection with the enthronement of Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Shio III, according to Georgian media outlets.
Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Shio III was also present at the Presidential Palace, alongside senior clergy of the Georgian Orthodox Church.
“At the meeting, we focused on the role of Orthodox values and noted that in a world full of modern challenges, the role of Orthodox Churches in protecting peace, humanism, and traditional values is gaining even greater importance.
I once again thanked the guests for their sincere condolences and expressions of sympathy regarding the passing of Late Ilia II,” the President wrote on the social network.
