Georgian PM: Christianity, Orthodoxy “preserved country’s identity” over centuries

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Monday said Christianity and Orthodoxy had “preserved the country’s identity” throughout centuries, in comments for the annual celebration of the ancient capital Mtskheta and its Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage monument.

The PM, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze and members of the executive and legislative authorities joined a service led by Shio Mujiri, the Locum Tenens of the Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, the Government Administration said.

I congratulate each of you, especially to our compatriots living abroad. I also want to congratulate the people of Mtskheta, it is truly a gift from God to bear the name of this remarkable city and to be part of its legacy”, Kobakhidze said in comments.

The head of the Government highlighted the significance of the city as the “site where Georgia first embraced Christianity”, adding “for 17 centuries, Christianity and Orthodoxy have protected our nation and helped maintain our identity and independence”.

He claimed there were “forces actively opposing Christianity, faith, and Christian moral values in various countries” including Georgia, and noted “when the nation and clergy stand together, no one can defeat Georgians, no one can defeat faith, Christianity, Orthodoxy in our country, no one can defeat faith in our hearts and no one can defeat Christian values ​​in our consciousness”.

The PM, Parliament Speaker and the Locum Tenens planted a maple sapling in the grounds of the Cathedral following the service.