Patriarch addresses gambling and abortion in Easter Epistle
By Tea Mariamidze
Wednesday, April 15
The Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II presented his Easter epistle on April 12. He touched upon the importance of the day and several problematic issues, including gambling, murder and the bad influence of modern technology among them.
Ilia II said that no one has the right to kill others, and that abortion is equal to murder. He stressed that all the individuals involved in the abortion process are giving their souls for eternal torture.
When it came to the role of parents, the Patriarch stated that parents should give their children work in early childhood, let them make independent choices, and permit them to overcome obstacles by themselves.
“It can be said that Georgians have grown out of the habit of working, when working is essential for mental, physical and spiritual development,” Patriarch said.
Ilia II declared that a poor lifestyle has distorted Georgian traditions, the culture of feasting among them.
“Such gatherings have turned into endless drinking and eating ceremonies, and hypocritical toasts that should be improved,” the epistle reads.
The Patriarch also requested the preservation of traditional breeds of wheat.
Ilia II appealed to everyone to pay attention to their words, as words have great power and can lead to fatal consequences, suicide among them.
He said that online gambling has increased the number suicides in the country, and stressed that unlimited access to online gambling has dramatically changed the fate of many individuals and families.
Ilia II appealed to the government to address this issue.
The Patriarch said that material-technical advancement and less focus on spiritual development has increased atheism.
According to Ilia II, many think that they can do everything without God.
“Such people fail to find the meaning of existence and uncover the mystery of death,” Ilia II said, adding that everyone has a chance to change their life and find the truth till the last moment of their life.
