Georgia Celebrates 1,700 Years of Christianity as State Religion

MTSKHETA, GEORGIA — The Georgian Orthodox Church celebrated the 1,700th anniversary of Christianity’s proclamation as the state religion of Georgia with a festal Divine Liturgy at Svetitskhoveli Patriarchal Cathedral on October 14, 2026, coinciding with Svetitskhovloba, the feast of the Lord’s Robe and the Life-Giving Pillar.

The Liturgy was presided over by Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III of All Georgia and concelebrated by members of the Georgian Church’s Holy Synod and visiting Orthodox hierarchs. Among those in attendance was Bp. Vasily of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), along with representatives of Orthodox Churches from several countries who traveled to Georgia for the anniversary.

Metr. Rostislav of the Czech Lands and Slovakia also concelebrated the service. Addressing the faithful afterward, he reflected on the contributions of St. Nino to Georgia’s Christianization and St. Ludmila to the spread of Christianity among the Czech people. He presented Patr. Shio with an icon of St. Ludmila containing a relic of the saint.

Metr. Bessarion of Spain and Portugal, representing the Ecumenical Patriarchate, delivered a message from Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew commemorating the anniversary. Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze read the message in Georgian.

"Throughout the centuries, the Church of Georgia has strengthened this apostolic inheritance through the steadfast devotion of its faithful, the witness of its martyrs, and the ascetic labors of its monastics," Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew wrote. "Even in times of the gravest trials, the confession of the Orthodox faith has sustained and preserved the spiritual life of the Georgian nation. The holy churches of Mtskheta bear clear witness to the unbreakable bond between Christian worship and the history of the nation."

Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, other government officials and members of parliament attended the celebration. The president and parliament speaker addressed the congregation, congratulating the faithful on both the anniversary and Svetitskhovloba.

Patr. Shio concluded by encouraging Georgians to remain steadfast in the Christian faith despite trials, expressing confidence in the protection of the Mother of God and calling for the unity and salvation of the country. “God is with us!” he declared.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Georgia prepared to mark 1,700 years of Christian heritage.