Priests march on church-backed Family Purity Day in Tbilisi

Georgian priests marched in Tbilisi today, marking ‘Family Purity Day’ backed by the Georgian Orthodox Church, first celebrated in 2014.

Usually, on this day clerics call on people to take to the streets with them. However, amid the coronavirus-related restrictions on gathering and social distancing, this time the demonstration was held without public participation. 

Photo: IPN

Georgian Patriarch Ilia II called on worshippers after the Sunday sermon to pray for 'the strength of their families'. Holding Georgian flags and icons, the participants marched from the Sameba Trinity Cathedral into downtown Tbilisi. 

• Foreign officials express support for, solidarity with LGBTQI+ individuals in Georgia

The Georgian Orthodox Church announced plans to celebrate the day after the attack on LGBT supporters and their opposers on May 17, 2013, which also marks the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT).