Georgian Orthodox Delegation Brings Holy Icons and Relic to New York

NEW YORK — A Georgian Orthodox delegation has arrived in the United States carrying two holy icons, including one containing a relic of St. Gabriel the Confessor and Fool for Christ, as Georgia marks the 1,700th anniversary of Christianity’s proclamation as the country’s state religion. The delegation also brought an icon of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos.

The visit was organized at the initiative and with the support of the Patriarchate of Georgia and the Georgian state, according to an announcement from the Georgian Diocese in North America.

The delegation was welcomed at John F. Kennedy International Airport by Bp. Saba of North America, diocesan clergy, Georgian Consul General in New York Maka Bartaia, and representatives of local parishes.

The diocese described the arrival as an important event for the Georgian Orthodox Church and its faithful in the United States, emphasizing the icons’ connection to Georgia’s Christian heritage and the spiritual ties between Georgian communities in America and their homeland.

Previously, the UOJ reported that the Bulgarian Orthodox Church marked 1,700 years since the finding of the Holy Cross.