Georgia's Orthodox parents protest against Pope’s visit

Several dozen representatives of the public organization "Union of Orthodox Parents" on Wednesday, September 21, held a protest near the building of the Vatican embassy in Tbilisi against the visit to Georgia of Pope Francis in late September, reports Interfax-Azerbaijan.

The protesters told reporters that "Orthodox Georgians do not need the Pope's blessing." They were holding posters against the Pope's visit. One of them said "The Vatican is a spiritual aggressor!"

Meanwhile, Guiseppe Pasotto, bishop of the Catholic Church in Georgia, told reporters it was unclear to him why anyone should protest against the Pope's visit to Georgia.

"The pope is coming to Georgia as a peace messenger. Why should anyone be against that? As far as I know, Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II of All Georgia is not against this visit," Pasotto said.

During his visit, which will last from September 30 to October 2, the Pope will meet in Tbilisi with Ilia II, representatives of various religious groups and top officials of Georgia and hold a mass in a stadium, he said.