Patr. Shio to Bless New Community of Christian Kurds and Yazidis

TBILISI — The Georgian Orthodox Church is preparing to mark the formal blessing of a newly organized community of Christian Kurds and Yazidis during events scheduled for June 21 at Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sameba) in Tbilisi.

Following the conclusion of the Sunday Divine Liturgy, Catholicos-Patriarch Shio of All Georgia is expected to bless baptized Kurds and Yazidis who will gather holding holy icons, symbolizing the beginning of their ecclesiastical unity within the Church. Organizers describe the event as a significant milestone in the development of a Kurdish-speaking Orthodox presence in Georgia.

Later that day, an open meeting will be held at the cathedral’s youth center focusing on the history of the voluntary Christianization of Georgia’s Yazidi population. Hieromonk Madaeas (Maamdi) is scheduled to discuss his meeting with the Patriarch, who blessed the establishment of the new ecclesiastical community and supported ongoing liturgical and translation work in the Kurdish language. Organizers say these efforts could eventually contribute to Kurdish becoming one of the liturgical languages used within the Orthodox Church of Georgia.

The gathering will also feature the presentation of a Kurdish-language translation of the Life of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina. Participants will commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of Georgia’s conversion to Christianity while celebrating the emergence of the Kurdish-speaking Orthodox community. Kurds and Yazidis from Georgia, Europe, and Russia, along with members of the broader Kurdish diaspora, are expected to attend and share personal testimonies.

Previously, the UOJ reported that Patr. Shio hosted American officials at the patriarchal residence.