Shio III Enthroned as Patriarch of Georgia

Patr. Shio of Georgia is enthroned Tuesday morning. Photo: UOJ-Georgia

MTSKHETA — After being elected Monday afternoon as the new Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude Shio III has been officially enthroned in a Tuesday morning ceremony at the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta. The enthronement coincides with the commemoration of St. Andrew the First-Called Apostle’s entry into Georgia, a particularly revered day honored as a national holiday and day off from work since 2003.

His Holiness and Beatitude Shio III is crowned with the patriarchal mitre. Photo: UOJ-Georgia

In His Holiness' first speech after the enthronement, he stated that the Church is a bastion of unity in the face of many difficulties placed before us by modern life, UOJ-Georgia reports.

"Therefore, the burden of patriarchal service has become twice as heavy, requiring even greater labor and spiritual struggle.

That is why we must share this ministry together.

It is necessary to open wide the doors of the Church for everyone.

The future of the country and our children are our future.

Today, standing before this great apostolic responsibility, I turn in prayer to the blessed souls.

To humbly bear the heavy cross.

To continue the path for the sake of increasing love among the people.

I remember the saints of our country, and I am overcome with a sense of my own powerlessness.

It is difficult to find an answer to the question of why God has laid such a heavy cross upon me.

Yet I am conscious of it.

I ask the saints for help on this difficult path.

Great thanks to the hierarchs for their trust.

May we glorify the Lord with love and unity. Amen.

Christ is Risen!"

UOJ-Georgia has been reporting on the ground and spoke with priests and parishioners of the Georgian Orthodox Church about the momentous occasion.

Patr. Shio is the 142nd primate of the Georgian Orthodox Church. He won Monday's election with 22 out of 39 votes.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Metr. Tikhon of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) had sent a letter congratulating the new patriarch on his election.

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