By Efi Efthimiou
Scenes that are not appropriate for the ecclesiastical orthodox community unfolded – once again – within the Church of Georgia.
Bishop Symeon Tsakashvili of the Georgian Patriarchate and his associates attacked the clergy of the Archdiocese of Tbilisi and the Professor of the Ecclesiastical School, Protopresbyter Teimuraz Tatarashvili.
According to the website “Ecclesiastical News of Georgia”, Father Teimuraz has been seriously injured.
According to sources of orthodoxtimes.com, it all started with a conversation that Protopresbyter Teimuraz had with his colleague, which was considered offensive to Bishop Symeon.
In particular, Father Teimuraz had a scheduled meeting with Metropolitan Job of Ruisi and Urbnisi at the Diocese’s offices.
Arriving there, he and his associates were informed that at that time Bishop Symeon was in a meeting with the Metropolitan.
Addressing a friend-collaborator who was next to him, he reportedly stated that “I would rather see a reptile now than the Bishop”.
The conversation was heard by a member of the mission of Bishop Symeon. According to people who were present at the time of the incident, the conversation was transferred to Bishop Symeon after he had completed his visit to Metropolitan Job and had left.
He and his associates returned to the offices of the Diocese of Ruisi and Urbnisi and interrupted Fr. Teimuraz’s appointment with Metropolitan Job. They literally dragged the Protopresbyter out of the office with voices and fists, forcing him to kneel and apologize to Bishop Symeon.
The same sources report to orthodoxtimes.com that Metropolitan Job tried -in vain- to calm the spirits and prevent further unpleasant developments.
After the attack, Bishop Symeon and his associates left the scene, while Protopresbyter Teimuraz left with facial injuries.
Lately, the Church of Georgia has been plagued by scandals and negative publicity, which offer nothing good both to the credibility of the Patriarchate itself and to the calm and trust of the faithful in the Church.