Patr. Shio III Receives Ukrainian Orthodox Delegation

TBILISI, GEORGIA — Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III of All Georgia received a delegation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) on October 12 during celebrations marking the 1,700th anniversary of Christianity’s adoption as the state religion in Georgia.

The delegation traveled to Georgia at the invitation of the Georgian Orthodox Church’s Holy Synod and with the blessing of Metr. Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine. The group included Metr. Sergius of Ternopil and Kremenets, Abp. Job of Shumsk, Archpriest Vasily Voznyuk, and Dcn. Maksym Savchuk.

During their meeting at the Georgian Patriarchate, Patr. Shio expressed his respect for Metr. Onuphry and conveyed his wishes for peace and patience for the Ukrainian people as they endure the difficulties affecting their country and church life. He emphasized that the Georgian people sympathize with Ukrainians, drawing on their own experience of hardship.

The Georgian primate also assured the Ukrainian delegation of the prayerful support of Georgian faithful for their brothers and sisters in Ukraine. The meeting concluded with an exchange of commemorative gifts between Patr. Shio and the visiting representatives.

The visit followed a Divine Liturgy on October 11 at Tbilisi’s Holy Trinity Patriarchal Cathedral, where UOC representatives concelebrated with the primate and hierarchs of the Georgian Orthodox Church as part of the anniversary celebrations.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Patr. Shio received a Constantinople delegation in Georgia.