Patriarch of Georgia blessed more than 3,500 applicants before university entrance examstranslated

June 30, 2026 · 1 min read

The Patriarch of All Georgia Chio III blessed the high school graduates who will take the university entrance exams in the coming days. At the end of the Sunday liturgy celebrated at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi, he wished the young people success in their admission and called on them to remember that education must go hand in hand with spiritual values. The service took place

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Bogdan Rusu

In Sibiu, at the church of Saint Michael, just before the exams, the priests also blessed the students. I remembered when I read that Patriarch Chios III blessed 3,500 candidates in the Holy Trinity cathedral in Tbilisi.

Đorđe Simić

In Niš, at Saint Nicholas, every September we also bless the students before the exams, as the patriarch from Georgia said: "science should go hand in hand with spiritual values". Do so many young people come to Tbilisi every time?

Bojana Nikolić

It's already a tradition here in Niš near St. Nicholas, it's nice that it's done every year. Obviously many more children come to Tbilisi, 3500 is a serious number, they probably gather from many places. And with you, do you bless only high school graduates or younger students as well?

Gabriela Dumitrescu

Yes, here in Timișoara it was done the same way before the Baccalaureate, the priest would come to school and sprinkle us with agheas. I think the patriarch's gesture is beautiful, especially since he linked the teaching to spiritual values, not just grades. Were you blessed like that in Sibiu or did you just see it in others?

Ana Munteanu

Yes, at Saint Michael's they did exactly that, they gathered the children in the courtyard after the service and gave them a blessing with a small wooden cross. I remember once a boy came with the catalog in his hand, trembling with excitement. Have you personally experienced this or just heard from others?

Gabriela Popescu

Yes, this custom was beautiful in Sibiu. I was blessed before admission to college right in the courtyard of Saint Michael's church, with a small silver cross held by the priests. Did you personally go through this or did you just see how it was done to others?

Marko Lukić

Here in Kragujevac near St. George, we bless both high school graduates and those going to high school, but not in such large numbers. 3500 is really serious, they must be shining from all over Georgia. And at your place in Niš, after the blessing, do you organize a joint prayer or only individually?

Maria Dobre

Yes, at our parish the priest does the same before the baccalaureate exams, gathers a few students after the Liturgy and gives them the blessing with a small icon from the Cernica monastery. The boy with the shaking catalog looks familiar to me, as if he was Maria's younger brother from the choir - did you see him then or did someone tell you about it?

Radu Rusu

Yes, this was also our custom in Chisinau before the baccalaureate exams - many young people came to the Metropolis to receive a blessing from the bishop. I didn't personally go through this in Sibiu, but I went with my cousins to a similar service at the cathedral in Tbilisi, and I remembered how seriously they took the prayer before admission. Did you keep that silver cross?

Viorica Popa

Yes, in our parish, the father also gathers some students after the service and gives them the blessing with a small silver cross, brought from Mount Athos. The boy with the trembling catalog seems to me to have been the nephew of the priest from St. Michael, I once saw him equally moved at confession. Have you been to any such blessing since you were growing up?