On July 2, two consecutive meetings were held at the Patriarchate of Georgia between Patriarch Shio III, the Ambassador of the French Republic to Georgia, and representatives of the Roman Catholic Church.
Firstly, the Patriarch met with the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of France to Georgia, Mr Olivier Courtois.
The French ambassador congratulated the Primate of the Church of Georgia on his enthronement, conveying the greetings and congratulations of the French government. In return, the Catholicos-Patriarch warmly expressed his gratitude for the good wishes.
During the meeting, reference was made to the historical and cultural ties between Georgia and France, and the importance of further strengthening bilateral relations was emphasised.
Mr Courtois emphasised that France supports peace and the sovereignty of Georgia, as well as the continuation of cultural and educational cooperation between the two countries.
At the end of the meeting, the Patriarch presented the French diplomat with a commemorative cross created to mark the 1,700^(th) anniversary of Christianity being declared the official religion of Georgia.
On the same day, the Patriarch received the Apostolic Administrator of the Latin Catholics in the Caucasus, Bishop Giuseppe Pasotto, and a delegation of Roman Catholic clergy at the Patriarchate.
Bishop Pasotto congratulated the Primate of the Georgian Church on his enthronement and expressed his desire to further strengthen relations between the two churches. The Patriarch thanked him for his kind wishes and mentioned Mr Pasotto’s long-standing and cordial relationship with the late Patriarch Ilia II.
During the meeting, views were exchanged on issues concerning moral values, the family unit, bioethical challenges, and contemporary social issues. The importance of peace and interfaith friendship was emphasised. The 1,700th anniversary of the declaration of Christianity as the official religion of Georgia was also highlighted.
At the end of the meeting, commemorative gifts were exchanged between both sides.
