Patriarch Shio III presided over his first mass baptism as head of the Georgian Orthodox Church

Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III of All Georgia presided over the 73rd mass baptism at the Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sameba) in Tbilisi. For the first time in his official capacity as head of the Church, he became godfather to more than 600 children, continuing a tradition aimed at strengthening the institution of the family and increasing the birth rate in the country.

According to the TASS news agency, citing the press service of the Georgian Church, the solemn event took place at the Sameba Cathedral. The baptismal rite included hundreds of infants, marking a significant event following the enthronement of the new Primate, which took place on May 12. The tradition of mass baptisms was established back in 2008 by Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II, whose spiritual children have numbered more than 50,000 over the years.

According to established rules, the Patriarch’s godchild may be the third or subsequent child in a family whose parents are married in the Church. In recent years, due to the advanced age of Ilia II, the rites were actually performed by his locum tenens, Metropolitan Shio. Following the passing of the former head of the Church in March 2026 and his official inauguration, Shio III continues this important mission, which contributes to Georgia’s demographic development.