Georgian Patriarch’s Christmas epistle: justice, unity “utmost significant” for Georgia’s geopolitical challenges
If people live the “right way”, God will help them and “give out his hand of assistance” in inconceivable times and places, the Georgian Patriarch said. Photo: Patriarchate of Georgia
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The Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II delivered his annual Christmas epistle ahead of Christmas mass last night at the Sioni Cathedral in Tbilisi, in which he “especially” congratulated Ukrainian children, affected by the “severe” consequences of the war, on Christmas, as well as all Georgians and compatriots living abroad, highlighting the “utmost significance” of justice and unity as Georgia has been facing many challenges due to its “difficult” geopolitical risks.
If people live the “right way”, God will help them and “give out his hand of assistance” in inconceivable times and places, the Georgian Patriarch said.
Conscience is the voice of God. You cannot subdue it, you are not able to predispose it according to your will, and you cannot eliminate it entirely; On the contrary, it makes us feel its presence even when we try to escape”, the Patriarch said, adding the conscience best represented the soul.
The Christmas epistle also reads that if humans, regardless of their profession, live to glorify God and serve “fellow men”, their activities will be considered as divine worship.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Saturday congratulated “dear fellow citizens” on Orthodox Christmas, wishing them and their families health, peace and prosperity.
Vehicle traffic in select streets of Tbilisi will be restricted to allow holding of the annual alilo Christmas marches on Saturday, Tbilisi City Hall announced on Friday.
We should remember that the future of humans and nations should be peaceful, the Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II said in his New Year address, while wishing Georgian people health and a peaceful future.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday congratulated Ilia II, the Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia’s Orthodox Church, on his 90th birthday and highlighted his “immeasurable” contribution to the nation.
Georgian citizens in the capital Tbilisi held the traditional celebratory Christmas march Alilo, a customary event involving children singing Christmas carols and walking through the streets, gathering presents to be later donated to charity.
The annual Easter epistle of the Catholicos Patriarch Ilia II, delivered on Easter Eve at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, said “We live in difficult times when the threat of a nuclear disaster is real, and so we especially think about peace - a “precious gift” from God.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Monday hailed the “exemplary leadership” of Patriarch Ilia II of the domestic Orthodox Christian Church on the 46th anniversary of his enthronement, personally conveying his “warmest wishes” to the religious leader at the Patriarchate in Tbilisi while accompanied by his family.
Vehicle traffic will be restricted on certain streets of Georgia’s capital Tbilisi on Sunday to allow the holding of the traditional celebratory Christmas march Alilo, a customary event involving children singing Christmas carols and walking through the streets, gathering presents to be later donated to charity, Tbilisi City Hall announced on Saturday.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Sunday congratulated “all of Georgia” on Orthodox Christmas, wishing his compatriots and their families happiness, joy and progress.