bidzina-ivanishvili-patriarch-ilia-ii-2013-01-13

Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili (left), and Georgian Patriarch Ilia II (number two from right). (Click to enlarge.) (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — Clerics from different Orthodox countries will leave today, Monday.

The guests arrived five days ago in order to congratulate Georgian Patriarch Ilia II with his 80th birthday and 35th year since his inauguration. Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople is among the guests.

Also among the guests were the Serbian Patriarch, Metropolitan of Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia and the Metropolitan of Bulgaria, as well as a delegation from Russia chaired by Metropolitan Hilarion, Bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church outside Russia, accompanied by two other bishops.


They attended the Sunday liturgy conducted by the Georgian patriarch. The patriarch thanked the guests for coming and gave an icon of David the Prophet to Patriarch Bartholomew I. Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili as well as other members of the government attended the Sunday liturgy at Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi.

A few days ago, President Mikheil Saakashvili hosted guests and the Speaker of Parliament at his house. There was a concert at Tbilisi Concert Hall and a one-day science conference at Georgian University of the Patriarchy.

Saturday, the guests visited Davit Gareji, Shio Mghvime and Bodbe monasteries in different regions of Georgia to pray.