Georgia

Georgia Patriarch Calls For Calm After Orthodox Groups Thwart Gay Rights Rally

May 20, 2013 Featured News

18/5/13 (Civil.Ge) — The head of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Ilia II, has called for calm after violence that erupted after aggressive anti-gay protesters, led by Orthodox clergy, thwarted a rally by a small group of gay rights activists to mark the International Day Against Homophobia on May 17. “We distance from violence,” Patriarch [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

Georgia’s Orthodox Church urges ban on LGBT rights rally

May 17, 2013 Featured News

Agence France-Presse – 16/5/13 The head of Georgia’s influential Orthodox Church called Thursday on the authorities to ban a gay rights rally set to be held in the deeply religious country. The call came a day before gay rights activists were to stage a brief demonstration in central Tbilisi to mark the International Day against [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

Dining with the Dead: Georgian families’ graveyard feasts

May 14, 2013 News

13/5/13 In many Western countries graveyards are seen as sinister or even frightening but not so in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. As with other eastern Orthodox countries, it is common for Georgians to honour their deceased relatives by taking food and wine to cemeteries, and having feasts beside the graves. Although practised thoughout [...]

Tagged as: ,

Read the full article →

Georgian Orthodox Church Calls for Anti-Abortion Law

May 6, 2013 News

Civil Georgia, Tbilisi – 6/5/13 Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Ilia II, has called on the Georgian authorities in his Easter epistle for adopting anti-abortion law, saying that it would contribute to resolving country’s “grave demographic situation.” “Abortion is a heinous murder of an innocent creature committed with a decision and intent of parents. [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

Church marriage may be given legal status in Georgia

May 1, 2013 News

1/5/13 Recent months have seen more and more calls for Church marriage to be given legal status in Georgia. “As a clergyman I would welcome it if Church marriage were given legal status in Georgia. There are regulations about the legal status of Church marriage in the legislation of many European countries, for example, in [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

Unearthing the musical past: Zedashe brings ancient harmonies to UO

April 19, 2013 News

19/4/13 From the mountainous Caucuses region of Georgia in Eastern Europe, a tradition of song in three-part harmony, dancing and winemaking – suppressed during the Soviet era – has re-emerged with vigor. The cultural revival is due in part to Georgia’s independence as a nation and to members of the Zedashe Ensemble, who will be [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

Ivanishvili on Georgian Orthodox Church

April 11, 2013 Featured News

Civil Georgia, Tbilisi – 10/4/13 PM Ivanishvili said on April 10 that “problems exist” in the Georgian Orthodox Church too and speaking publicly on these issues should not be a taboo. Ivanishvili was speaking during a press conference, held for a group of senior editors from some print media and major television channels. He made [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

No religious split-lines, ROC says to Abkhaz

April 1, 2013 Featured News

1/4/13 Tbilisi, DFWatch – Abkhaz de facto leader was evidently informed that Russian Orthodox Church, unlike the Kremlin which recognized Abkhazia as an independent country, wouldn’t tolerate drawing ecclesiastical borders along political split-lines, at least formally. During a meeting in Sochi, Russian resort city just few kilometers from breakaway Abkhazia, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

Abkhaz Leader Meets Georgian, Russian Top Orthodox Clerics

March 30, 2013 Featured News

Civil Georgia, Tbilisi – 29/3/13 Senior clerics from the Georgian and Russian Orthodox Churches met Abkhaz leader Alexander Ankvab in Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi, close to breakaway Abkhazia, on March 28. News about the meeting was first reported by the Moscow Patriarchate’s foreign relations department in its press release on March 28. Georgian [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

Georgia,Turkey Hold Mosque-for-Church Talks

March 28, 2013 News

Giorgi Lomsadze - 28/3/13 A new mosque will be a bridge between Turkey and Georgia, according to Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoğlu, but, depending on how the matter is handled, the sanctuary could also become a wall between the two countries. Georgia, Turkey and Azerbaijan — the only three mutually friendly countries to be found in [...]

Tagged as: , , ,

Read the full article →

Georgian Catholicos hosts Turkish FM

March 28, 2013 Featured News

28/3/13 Patriarch, Turkish Foreign Minister discuss definition of legal status of Georgian monuments on the Turkish territory. Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia ll has hosted Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey Ahmet Davutoglu in the Patriarchate of Georgia yesterday . According to the press service of the Patriarchate, the Georgian Patriarch and the Turkish Foreign [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

Hasmik Poghosyan met with representatives of Armenian community in Georgia

March 26, 2013 News

26/3/13 YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS. The Minister of Culture of the Republic of Armenia Hasmik Poghosyan paid a working visit to Tbilisi and had a meeting with the representatives of the Armenian community in Georgia in “Hayartun” centre of the Georgian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church on March 22. The Chairman of the Writers’ [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

Natakhtari Fund for adolescents helps make dreams come true

March 22, 2013 News

22/3/13 With Natakhtari’s support, Mari Mchedlidze became a graduate of the Natalie Educational Center. The Natakhtari brewing company established the Natakhtari Fund in November 2011. Soon after, the company launched a charity project entitled “Think about the Future”. The fund’s aim is to help adolescents deprived of parental care prepare for independent life. The project [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

Russian delegation to visit Georgia

March 22, 2013 Featured News

Georgia, Tbilisi,/ N. Kirtskhalia / – 22/3/13 Presentation of the GROS international center for humanitarian cooperation will be organized in Tbilisi on the initiative of Georgian and Russian scientists, artists, athletes and business community. An impressive delegation from Russia will head to Georgia for participation in this event. According to the organizers, this delegation will [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

Patriarchate to presumably take part in Oshki and Ishkhani rehabilitation

March 18, 2013 Featured News

Georgia Online – 18/3/13 Georgia’s Patriarchate presumably will be involved in the negotiations on restoring Georgian cultural heritage in Turkey and construction of a mosque in Batumi, “Rustavi 2″ informs the Deputy Minister of culture and Monument Protection Marine Mizandari states about it. Mizandari says that the decision was reached on yesterday’s meeting between her [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

Public confidence to Church, Army and Police unrivalled in Georgia – survey

March 17, 2013 Featured News

17/3/13 Orthodox Church preserves its leadership in the rating of confidence to social institutions. According to the social research of the International Republican Institute (IRI), 95 percent of the respondents trust the Church. The next are the Army with 91 percent and the Police with 89 percent. Confidence rating in relation to other social institutions [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church in Georgia Celebrates Median Day of Lent

March 8, 2013 Featured News

7/3/13 The ‘Median Day of Lent’ (mid-Lent, or Michink) was celebrated at the Surb Echmiadzin Church  in Avlabari, Tbilisi. Michink is celebrated during the middle of lent to encourage people to persevere until the end of lent. An evening Divine Service was held after which the spiritual fathers of the church consecrated the traditional festive [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

Resumption of Georgian wine supply to Russian market will help improve bilateral relations – Ilia II

February 28, 2013 News

Tbilisi, February 27, Interfax – Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II of All Georgia met with representatives of Russia’s Rospotrebnadzor, who are in Georgia to inspect the Georgian wine and mineral water manufacturers seeking permission to supply their products to Russia, in his residence on Wednesday. Ilia II expressed his satisfaction with the fact that Georgian wine and [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

Bidzina Ivanishvili: Let’s first make church renovation, then start dispute

February 27, 2013 Featured News
St. Nshan church in Tbilisi, Georgia

27/2/13 The renovation of the Armenian theater in Tbilisi, as well as six churches will be implemented by the means of Georgia’s Prime Minister Bidzini Ivanishvili’s fund, the Georgian Embassy in Armenia informed earlier this week. For several years the Armenian churches in Georgia have been a matter of dispute between the Armenian Apostolic Church [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

Ilia the Second – Abkhazia and Tskhinvali are Georgia’s Open Wounds

February 20, 2013 Featured News

Georgia Online 20/2/13 Abkhazia and Tskhinvali are Georgia’s open wounds – Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia Ilia the Second said during a meeting with the United Nations Development Programme’s Administrator Helen Clark at Svetitskhioveli Patriarchate’s residence. The Patriarch spoke about the oldest culture of Georgia and Orthodox Church of Georgia. The Patriarch noted that for centuries [...]

Tagged as:

Read the full article →

Patriarchate to presumably take part in Oshki and Ishkhani rehabilitation

February 19, 2013 News

Georgia Online – 19/2/13 Georgia’s Patriarchate presumably will be involved in the negotiations on restoring Georgian cultural heritage in Turkey and construction of a mosque in Batumi, “Rustavi 2″ informs the Deputy Minister of culture and Monument Protection Marine Mizandari states about it. Mizandari says that the decision was reached on yesterday’s meeting between her [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

Georgian church declares 2013 the year of Queen Tamar

February 19, 2013 Featured News

19/2/13 Georgian Orthodox Church has declared 2013 the year of Queen Tamar. Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II made this statement during a Sunday sermon. He said 2013 is the anniversary year, as scientists believe that this year marks the 800th anniversary of Georgian queen’s death. “There are other assumptions, but most scientists think that [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

Patriarch Kirill hopes visit by Ilia II to Moscow will strengthen Georgian-Russian relations

February 1, 2013 News

Moscow, January 21, Interfax – Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia expects the visit by Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II of All Georgia to Moscow to promote the development of Russian-Georgian relations. “This visit will promote the development of bilateral relations between our countries and peoples,” Patriarch Kirill said on Monday while meeting with Ilia II [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

Georgia’s Diocese Blasts Saakashvili

January 31, 2013 News

31/1/13 TBILISI—The Armenian Diocese of Georgia called on President Mikheil Saakashvili and his United National Movement party to refrain from making provocative statements in relation to amnestied or released prisoners. The announcement comes days after Saakashvili publicly criticized the release of Armenian political prisoner Vahagn Chakhalyan, calling him an enemy of the state and a [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

Armenian Diocese calls upon Saakashvili and other leaders of the UNM to abstain from provocative statements

January 27, 2013 Featured News

27/1/13 The release of political prisoners and other amnestied persons, including Vahagn Chakhalyan caused furious reactions from the opposition party, United National Movement. During the last weeks, and especially yesterday their representatives have been making incorrect statements, trying thus to disseminate anti-Armenian sentiments in the multinational Georgian society. President Mikheil Saakashvili and Secretary General of [...]

Tagged as: , , , ,

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries