On December 13, Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II issued a statement calling on Georgians to unite in prayer, protect peace in the country, as well as the sovereignty and statehood of Georgia. The statement makes no direct reference to the police brutality and violence or the repression by the authorities that continues in the country and seems to make an attempt to distribute the blame evenly.
The letter stresses that mutual hatred won’t help the country achieve its national goals. When it speaks of Georgia’s European path, it qualifies it as based on Christian and traditional values – echoing the official rhetoric of the GD. “Georgia is an integral part of European civilization and it is our duty to contribute to the strengthening and development of a European-type nation-state based on our centuries-old Christian spiritual and cultural heritage and traditional values,” the Patriarch says.
The Patriarch notes that the developments of the past few days “clearly show” that it is necessary “for every Georgian” – old and young – to take responsibility for protecting peace in the country, to distance themselves from violence and to understand that “in our difficult times, the sharp escalation of the situation poses a real threat to the country’s main achievement – statehood and sovereignty.”
Patriarch Ilia II states that in order to avoid “uncontrollable processes” it is crucial to achieve a constructive dialogue between the parties. He noted that the main problem in Georgia today is that people have become distant from God and have developed the habit of “deadly sins”, “as evidenced by the hate speech and physical assaults of recent weeks.”
The Patriarch stresses that mutual hatred and malice won’t help the country achieve its national goals, and emphasizes that today, as all his life, he prays that God will give Georgians a “wise and humane” heart. He calls on the people to pray together for the prosperity of the country, and blesses the clergy to ring the church bells every day at 1:00 p.m. and hold a prayer service for the Blessed Virgin Mary.
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