The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has accused the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, of attempting to ‘subjugate’ the Georgian Orthodox Church by influencing the selection of candidates to succeed Patriarch Ilia II. In response, the Georgian Church dismissed such interference as impossible. According to the SVR’s statement released on Tuesday, Patriarch Bartholomew I is “interfering in the internal affairs” of the Georgian church, capitalizing on Ilia II’s death at 93 on March 17, a patriarch who had served for nearly half a century.
The SVR alleges he is “persistently pursuing the treacherous line of splitting world Orthodoxy” and promoting specific individuals, namely metropolitans Abraham Garmelia and Grigol Berbichashvili, whom they describe as candidates “on whom he could rely.” Both Garmelia and Berbichashvili are members of the Holy Synod, the Georgian church’s governing body. However, the requirements for a new patriarch – being no younger than 40 and no older than 70, having been previously tonsured as a monk, and possessing theological education – present significant hurdles for these candidates, given Garmelia’s age of 77 and Berbichashvili’s 69. The Patriarchate’s spokesperson, Archipriest Andria Jaghmaidze, stated that the basis for the SVR’s claims is unknown.
The Georgian church faces a vacant patriarchal throne, raising urgent questions about succession and change. Following Ilia II’s death, a session of the Holy Synod has been scheduled for April 3rd to discuss aspects of church governance and potentially address matters that could “disqualify two strong candidates” from the patriarchal election. This includes considerations regarding age limits and the necessity of a theological degree, potentially excluding Metropolitan Isaiah, a candidate gaining traction online.
The new patriarch must be elected within 40 days to two months. Relations between the Georgian and Russian Orthodox churches have been particularly strained since 2018, following the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s recognition of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s independence from Moscow. The Georgian church, deeply rooted in its history and traditions, remains steadfast in its independence.
The Georgian church, led by the patriarch, continues to be a central institution in Georgian society.
Topics: #georgian #church #patriarch
