Embassy of Georgia to the United States hosted the celebration of the Tenth Anniversary of the North American Diocese of the Georgian Orthodox Church, attended by distinguished delegation of the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church and Georgian diaspora. The delegation was headed by His Eminence Shio, The Locum Tenens of the Patriarch of Georgia and his assistant, the Metropolitan of Senaki and Tchkhorotsku, Australia and New Zealand.
Ambassador David Bakradze welcomed a visiting delegation of the Georgian Orthodox Patriarchate and commended the significant work of His Grace Saba, the Bishop of the North American and Canadian Diocese. He also highlighted the importance of the visit at this historic juncture of US-Georgia strategic partnership when the House of Representatives unanimously passed the Georgia Support Act on the same day of October 22nd.
His Eminence Shio conveyed to the Georgian diaspora the blessings of the The Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, the Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi, and the Metropolitan Bishop of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazia, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II and underscored the most important role of the leader of the Georgian Church and spiritual father of the nation since his enthronement. He also praised the outstanding accomplishments of His Grace Saba, the Bishop of the North American and Canadian Diocese.
Throughout the visit, the delegation toured multiple cities to pray at Georgian monasteries, and meet Georgian perish and diaspora in the United States. The delegation also held official meetings at the Department of State with the Deputy Assistant Secretary George Kent and Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Samuel Brownback.
The celebratory reception at the Embassy was complemented by The Capitol Hill Chorale performance of the Georgian Sacred Chants on the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom by Georgian composer Zakaria Paliashvili. The Chorale, led by artistic director, Maestro Frederick Binkholder, has recently completed successful trip to Georgia with the Paliashvili Liturgy program.
