About 30 theologians and intellectuals from
Georgia have conveyed greetings to Metropolitan of the Orthodox Church
of Ukraine Epiphanius on the occasion of the receipt of a tomos of
autocephaly and enthronement.
A letter of congratulation has been made available to Ukrinform.
"Full of friendly, fraternal or sincere love for Christ [...] we
sincerely celebrate the autocephaly of the Holy Orthodox Church of
Ukraine and the long-awaited spiritual and administrative independence
of the exhausted Ukrainian parishes," reads the letter.
Georgian theologians, "as children of the Georgian Apostolic
Autocephalous Orthodox Church," "taking into account professional good
conscience," declared that the legal process of granting the tomos to
the Orthodox Church of Ukraine had been conducted "in objective
precision, in accordance with God-inspired canonical norms, in full
preservation of the gospel principles and the rules of the holy
fathers."
The signatories of the letter also expressed hope that in the near
future the Georgian church will reunite in Eucharistic communion with
the Ukrainian church.
The letter was signed by Georgian theologians Giorgi Tiginashvili,
Zviad Tsabadze, Lado Narsiya, Beka Mindiashvili, Gocha Barnovi, Guram
Lursmanashvili, David Tinikashvili, Lado Tsitlidze, Giorgi Geguchadze,
Giorgi Nadirashvili, Dato Nebiyeridze, Nikoloz Gongadze, Vano
Shoshiashvili, Sandro Khadzhaliya, Besarion Liparteliani, Vladimer
Chikobava, Sergei Shoniya, Levan Zivzivadze, Mikheil Papashvili, Irakli
Kikacheishvili, teacher of theological subjects Otar Skhidadze, master
of Christian philosophy Besik Mashava, student of the fourth year of
study at Tbilisi Spiritual Seminary Rati Biginashvili, analyst Gocha
Mirtskhulava, political scientist Bakar Nadaraya, art expert Rostom
Kachakhidze, and church parishioner Irina Dzadzamiya.
On January 5, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew signed a tomos of
autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. On January 6, the
Patriarchal Church of St. George in Istanbul hosted a tomos handover
ceremony and a divine liturgy that was concelebrated by Ecumenical
Patriarch BartholoABOUT 30 THEOLOGIANS, INTELLECTUALS FROM GEORGIA CONVEY GREETINGS TO EPIPHANIUSmew and Head of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine,
Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Epiphanius. Subsequently, the tomos
was signed all members of the Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
The ceremony of enthronement of Head of the Orthodox Church of
Ukraine, Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine Epiphanius took place at
Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kyiv on February 3, and it completed all the
procedures that affirm the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church of
Ukraine.
Following the enthronement of Metropolitan Epiphanius, the Holy Synod
of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine is to hold its first meeting. The
Synod must finally agree on, approve and appoint responsible positions
and synodal administrations that will act in the future for the
development of the single local Orthodox Church.