Georgian Church Official Claims EU Representative Asked Patriarchate to Promote Same-Sex Marriage

TBILISI — Archpriest Andria Jagmaidze, head of the public relations service of the Georgian Orthodox Church, has claimed that a European official asked the Georgian Patriarchate in 2023 to support the promotion of same-sex marriage in Georgia. His remarks were made in an interview with Imedi TV, where he discussed relations between the Church and European institutions.

According to Jagmaidze, the request was made during a meeting with Hajja Lahbib, who at the time was Belgium’s foreign minister and later became European Commissioner for Equality. The archpriest said the European representative argued that Georgia was falling behind modern social trends because same-sex marriage was not accepted by the country’s society. He claimed that the Church was asked to use its influence to encourage public acceptance of same-sex marriage.

Jagmaidze said he rejected the idea, citing his concerns about broader social changes associated with LGBT issues. He also criticized references to the Georgian Orthodox Church in a European Parliament resolution, arguing that what he described as unsuccessful policies toward the Church had contributed to growing skepticism toward European institutions in Georgia.

The archpriest added that diplomatic contacts with the Georgian Patriarchate declined following the meeting but later resumed after the election of the new Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Shio III.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Georgian Church leaders rejected Russian intelligence claims on the Georgian patriarchal election.