Patriarch Ilia II says Georgia should be part of European institutions
By Messenger Staff
Tuesday, February 16
Georgia’s Patriarch Ilia II told a Council of Europe (CoE) official several days ago that everything should be done for Georgia to become part of European democratic structures.
Ilia II said this to the head of the CoE office to Georgia, Cristian Urse, a Romanian official currently serving in Georgia.
In response, Urse highlighted that his organisation had done its utmost to support Georgia’s integration into European space.
“I am happy that the Patriarch also supports the idea that Georgia should be part of European structures,” Urse said.
Urse stressed that that he was from Romania and could well understand the role of the church in a country’s life.
He stressed that the CoE respected fundamental human rights.
The Georgian Patriarch underscored that the Georgian and Romanian churches enjoyed very close ties and this year he was invited by the Romanian Patriarch to attend events dedicated to a Georgian saint, Anthim the Iberian.
“Romania marks the 300th anniversary of the saint, and we are preparing to attend the event in Romania,” His Holiness declared.
Anthim the Iberian was a Georgian theologian, scholar, calligrapher, philosopher and one of the greatest ecclesiastic figures of Wallachia (Romanian region), founder of the first printing press in Romania, and Metropolitan of Bucharest in 1708-1715.
