Patriarchate of Georgia: Joint working group to be established for the protection of churches and monasteries

On 21 July this year, Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III of Georgia received Tinatin Rukhadze, the Minister of Culture, at the Patriarchal Residence.

During the meeting, they discussed the need to establish a joint working group. This group will take action to protect cultural heritage and restore churches and monasteries belonging to the Patriarchate. Comprising representatives of the relevant services of the Patriarchate and the Ministry, the group will jointly plan the necessary restoration works. With the Patriarch’s blessing, the group’s programme of activities will be reviewed in the near future.

In attendance were Metropolitan David (Makharadze) of Alaverdi, Head of the Patriarchate of Georgia’s Council for Architecture, Restoration and Art; Bishop Vakhtang (Liparteliani) of Nikortsminda; Archimandrite Kyrion (Oniani), Deputy Chairman of the Temporary Restoration Committee for Gelati; and Archpriest Andria Jagmaidze, Head of the Patriarchate’s Public Relations Service.

Also in attendance were Grigol Tsertsvadze, Deputy Minister of Culture, and Nugzar Tskheindze, Deputy Director of the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation.