Georgian Orthodox Church Patriarch meets foreign diplomats to discuss EU integration

Ilia II, the Catholicos Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church and religious leaders from the Church on Wednesday met foreign diplomats to discuss the anticipated granting of the European Union membership candidate status to the country.

The Patriarchate said the diplomats noted Georgia was a “part of Europe” and rapprochement of the country and the bloc was “natural, real” and had “future prospects”.

The EU Ambassador to Georgia, Paweł Herczyński, noted at the meeting the bloc’s “family” was “not complete without Georgia”, and the ”unique” Christian culture and traditions of the country were “important” both for the state and the “common European space”.

In her comments, the US Ambassador Robin Dunnigan noted her “great love and respect” for the history and culture of Georgia during the meeting, the religious body added.

The diplomats congratulated Ilia II on his 90th birthday and 45th anniversary of consecration, noting the role of the Church and its leader in the development of the country.

In his turn, the Georgian religious figure thanked the envoys for their cooperation with Georgia and extended congratulations on the coming Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

The meeting also involved diplomats from the Vatican Embassy, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Poland, Bulgaria, Greece, Israel, Italy, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Iran, Netherlands, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Romania, China, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malta, Japan, Czech Republic, Sweden and Slovenia.

The diplomats also met Metropolitan Shio Mujiri, the Patriarch’s locum tenens.