Collaborator of Primates for 1700 years of Christianity in Georgiatranslated

The 1700th anniversary of the declaration of Christianity as the official state religion is celebrated in Georgia with splendor, a historical event that marked the country's spiritual path and decisively shaped its national and cultural identity. The center of the celebrations on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, was the historic Patriarchal Cathedral of Svetichoveli, in Mtskheta, where a Mass of Primates was held on the occasion of the great anniversary and feast of Svetichovloba, in which the Holy Shroud of the Lord is honored.

The Divine Liturgy was presided over by His Beatitude Patriarch of Georgia, Mr. Sio III, co-celebrant of the Archbishop of Presov and all of the Czech Republic and Slovakia, Mr. Rastislav. Collaborating with the two Primates were Hierarchs of the Church of Georgia and delegations of Patriarchates and other local Orthodox Churches, while the Church of Greece was represented by the Most Reverend Metropolitan of Didymoteicho, Orestia and Soufli Mr. Damascinos. The presence of church delegations highlighted the pan-Orthodox character of the celebrations and the ties that unite the local Churches in the common faith and apostolic tradition.