Georgian orthodox church praying for peace, hostages’ release in Israel - Patriarch tells Israeli Ambassador

The Georgian Orthodox church is praying for peace in Israel and the release of hostages amid the ongoing Hamas-Israel war, the Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia's Orthodox Church Ilia II told the Israeli Ambassador Hadas Meitzad, as His Holiness hosted Meitzad on Thursday.

The Patriarchate of Georgia said the sides had discussed the centuries-old fraternal relationship between Georgian and Israeli people at the meeting, held at the initiative of the Israeli Ambassador.

The Georgian Patriarch expressed his sorrow for the hostages and victims in Israel, extending his condolences to the families of the deceased, while Meitzad spoke about the Hamas terrorist attacks last month and expressed her respect for His Holiness and the Georgian orthodox church.

The meeting was attended by the Senaki and Chkhorotsku Metropolitan Shio Mujiri, who is the Patriarch's 'locum tenens', the Akhaltsikhe and Tao-Klarjeti Metropolitan Theodore, and Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze.