Armenia Catholicos Wants to Do Everything Quickly, Which Doesn’t Work: Georgia Patriarch

The Georgian church is open to everyone, but it won’t tolerate Georgia and the Georgian people to be oppressed, said His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity during his sermon Sunday, reports Georgia Online.

The Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia addressed this issue, recalling the visit of His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, to Georgia.

“His Holiness Karekin II is a young man and probably he should get more experience. He’s smart, but he wants to do everything quickly, which doesn’t work. I told him I have more experience, so it is best to stay calm,” he said.

According to His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, at a meeting with the Armenian Catholicos, he discussed the issue of relations between their two churches.

“The Armenians want to open more churches in Georgia. We suggested that if Armenian churches are opening in Georgia, then there should definitely be Georgian churches opening in Armenia. We agreed that we will have better cooperation in the future. I want to say that the Georgian church is open to all, but it will not tolerate the oppression of Georgia and the Georgian people,” he said.

Recall, on Jun. 17, ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) MP, Javakhq (Javakheti) Patriotic Union President Shirak Torosyan, weighing in on the issue of church status, said the status of the Georgian church in Armenia cannot be compared to the status of the Armenian church in Georgia.

“You can’t put this issue on the same level. A few hundred thousand Armenians live in Georgia, while there’s practically no Georgian community in Armenia,” he said.