Hegumen of Vatoped Monastery Ephrem visited Tbilisi to strengthen spiritual ties

The Abbot of the Vatoped Monastery of Mount Athos, Elder Ephrem, made an official visit to the capital of Georgia, where he delivered a speech at the Tbilisi City Council and brought a miracle-working icon for the faithful to worship. The visit, which took place in a warm and touching atmosphere, was aimed at strengthening the centuries-old spiritual ties between Georgia and the Holy Mount Athos.

The key event of the trip was a visit to the Tbilisi City Council at the invitation of its chairman, Zurab Abashidze. According to the Greek publication Vima Orthodoxias, the meeting was held in the historic hall where the most important decisions for the capital city have been made for two centuries. In his address to the members of the legislative body, Archimandrite Ephrem spoke of the importance of spiritual life, of love as the basis of social balance and of each person’s personal striving for deification. “The peace of Christ is the foundation of nations,” he emphasized, adding that inner victory over passions and the acquisition of peace of mind leads to stability and justice in society.

Starets Ephrem also recalled the rich Athonite tradition and the historical connection of Georgian monks with the Iberian Monastery, which since the 10th century has been famous for its translation and publishing activities. At the end of the meeting gifts were exchanged: the hegumen presented the Chairman of the Council with an icon of the Mother of God “Paramythia” (“Consolation”) as a blessing from the Holy Mountain. In turn, Zurab Abashidze called the meeting “symbolic and blessed”, noting that the Athonite presence is a spiritual bridge between Georgia and Mount Athos. He was supported by Vice-Mayor Giorgi Tkemaladze, expressing hope that the new municipal period, which began with such a blessing, will be a good omen for the future of Tbilisi.

Earlier on the same day, Elder Ephrem brought to Tbilisi a holy relic from Vatoped Monastery – the miracle-working icon of the Mother of God “Esfagmeni” (“Blessed”). The image was displayed for worship in the famous “Blue Monastery”. According to the newspaper, thousands of believers came to attach themselves to one of the most revered shrines of Mount Athos. The local press characterized the event as a “historic moment of spiritual unity” between the Holy Mountain and Georgia.

At the end of the visit, Elder Ephrem noted that “Georgia is a place of prayer and spiritual continuity for the Orthodox world” and emphasized that “the ties between Mount Athos and Tbilisi remain ties of faith and blessing”.

Earlier we reported that a group of Athonite Kelliot monks published a joint statement in which they expressed their strong protest against the visit of the head of the OCU Epiphanius Dumenko to the Holy Mount Athos. The monks called his presence uncanonical, saying it caused spiritual damage and deep sorrow in the monastic community.