A delegation from the Russian Orthodox Church took part in the celebrations marking the 1,700th anniversary of Christianity in Georgia

An official delegation from the Moscow Patriarchate, led by Metropolitan George of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas, visited Tbilisi to participate in the celebration of the 1,700th anniversary of the proclamation of Christianity as the state religion of Georgia. The visit, which took place from October 12 to 15, 2026, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, included a series of meetings with representatives of the clergy and the country’s government leadership.

According to the Communications Service of the Department for External Church Relations, during the first days of the visit, the delegation visited Sioni Cathedral, where Metropolitan George performed a memorial service for the late Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II. The highlight of the program was a meeting with the new Primate of the Georgian Orthodox Church, His Holiness and Beatitude Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III. During the conversation, Metropolitan George conveyed greetings from the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and emphasized the significance of the spiritual ties between the two peoples, mentioning, in particular, the construction of the Church of St. Nina, Equal to the Apostles, in Nizhny Novgorod.

The festive events continued on October 14 in Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia. The delegation took part in festive divine services at the Samtavro Monastery and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. In his speech at a formal reception organized with the participation of Georgian President M. Kavelashvili, Metropolitan George noted that Orthodoxy is the “spiritual backbone” of the Georgian people, shaping their unique culture and resilience in the face of historical trials.

Concluding the visit, the representative of the Russian Orthodox Church expressed hope for the further strengthening of unity among the Local Orthodox Churches, based on the sacred canons and shared Christian values. On October 15, the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church concluded its visit and departed for home.