Georgia is outraged by congratulations given Russian Patriarch by Georgian Patriarch
Patriarchs of Georgia and Russia
Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II congratulated Patriarch Kirill of Russia on his birthday, thereby provoking criticism in Georgian society.
The text of the congratulations was published on the official website of the Russian Patriarchy.
“To His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’
Your Holiness! With the love of Christ, I congratulate you on your birthday! In these difficult times I wish you health and all God’s goodness. I also wish that justice and peace between Russia and Ukraine be restored as soon as possible through your and joint efforts.
May the Lord protect you and your flock! With Christ’s love.”
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Many in Georgian society denounced this letter. The head of the Center for Social Justice, Tamta Mikeladze, asks: “How can peace be restored by the efforts of Cyril II, the Russian ideological propagandist of the war in Ukraine?”
“Is it right to address a morally guilty patriarch with bows and congratulations? What religious justification can there be for loyalty to a preacher of terrorism? Are the parishioners concerned about this issue and do they ask these questions of their parishes, dioceses?,” Mikeladze writes.
Theologian Beka Mindiashvili says that the wording implies support for a Russian victory, “since Kirill Gundyaev is the main ideologist of terrorism and the main ‘instigator’ of the massacre of Ukrainians and Georgians.”
“It is immoral, anti-state, and just treacherous what the Georgian Patriarch is doing. This congratulation is an extreme insult to the heroes who have died for Georgia and Ukraine. It is also blasphemy and denial of the crucified Christ,” writes Beka Mindiashvili.
On November 22 the Security Service of Ukraine carried out “counterintelligence activities” in the largest monastery in Kyiv, the Kiev-Pechora Lavra, “against the subversive activities of Russian special services in Ukraine.”
The Security Service of Ukraine lists three goals of counterintelligence activities:
- Prevention of the use of the Lavra as the center of the “Russian world”.
- To verify that Ukrainian Orthodox Church buildings are used by sabotage and reconnaissance groups, foreign citizens, for storing weapons, etc.
- Ensuring the safety of the population from provocations and terrorist acts.
On November 13, it was reported that they were praying for Rus’ in the Kiev-Pechora Lavra. The SBU launched an investigation into the spread of Russian propaganda in the Lavra on November 15.
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ declared that “those who die in the line of military duty will be cleansed of their sins.” He also stated that “Russia has never attacked anyone.”
Russia launched a full-scale attack on Ukraine at dawn on February 24, simultaneously bombing several major cities, including Kyiv.
Putin’s declaration of war on Ukraine was preceded by the recognition and then annexation of the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Luhansk republics. The leaders of these breakaway territories turned to the Kremlin with a request “to help repel Ukrainian aggression.”
The leading countries of the world have imposed large-scale sanctions on Russia.
Nine months after the war, on November 24, Ukraine had already managed to liberate 52.5% of the areas occupied by Russia after February 24, including Kherson, which Russia declared its own territory by holding a “referendum” there on its own.
