Georgian Orthodox Church receives UOC delegation

On December 17, 2019, a delegation of the clergy and laity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Volyn region, most affected by raider actions from the OCU, arrived in Tbilisi. The pilgrimage group is led by Metropolitan Vladimir (Melnik) of Vladimir-Volynsky. According to a UOJ correspondent, along with the clergy of the Volyn and Vladimir-Volynsky Eparchies, the delegation included the representative of the Synodal Department for External Church Relations Fr. Vitaly Gorzov.

On the first day of their stay in Georgia, Volyn pilgrims visited the Holy Trinity Cathedral, erected by the efforts of all the Georgian people in Tbilisi during 1995-2004, as well as the Zion Cathedral – the resting place of the Georgian patriarchs, and the Tbilisi Theological Academy.

The rector of the theological educational institution Protopresbyter George Zviadadze cordially received the delegation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, expressing words of support in troubled times for Orthodox Ukrainians, the clergy and believers.

“I spoke with the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Onuphry when he visited Georgia, and I can testify to his faithfulness to the canons of Orthodoxy and love for the Ukrainian people,” said the rector of the Tbilisi Theological Academy.

Also, the Ukrainian delegation visited Anchiskhati, the oldest temple in Tbilisi of those that have survived to this day, the church of the VI century, dedicated to the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. At the end of the day, Ukrainians visited the St. Alexander Nevsky Church, called in Georgia “a branch of the Glinsky Hermitage”: the last elders of the Glinsky Monastery are buried here. Metropolitan Vladimir of Vladimir-Volynsky performed a litiya at the place of their repose.

As reported by the UOJ, Bishop Pavel (Tokayuk) of the Polish Orthodox Church took part in a service in Vladimir-Volynsky to support the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.