The First Full Day in Georgia for the visiting Delegation from the Orthodox Church in America
On Tuesday, October 13, 2009, His Beatitude, the Most Blessed Metropolitan Jonah of All America and Canada, together with the delegation accompanying him, began the first full day of their visit to the Georgian Orthodox Church by traveling to the ancient Lavra of Saint David Garejeli that dates to the 6th century. There the guests were able to venerate a portion of the holy relics of the 6,000 monastic fathers who were murdered following the Paschal service at the monastery in the 17th century.
After a luncheon offered to Metropolitan Jonah and the delegation of the Orthodox Church in America by the monastery’s abbot, Father Hilarion, in the monastery courtyard, the guests departed for the Bodbe Convent where the holy relics of Saint Nino, Equal to the Apostles and Enlightener of Georgia, are preserved.
Upon arrival, Metropolitan Jonah and his delegation were met by the monastery’s abbess, Mother Theodora, who then led them to the cathedral where a molieben was served before the tomb of Saint Nino. After offering prayers before this great saint of the Georgian Orthodox Church, the Metropolitan and his delegation were given a tour of the monastery by Mother Theodora. The visit ended with being offered hospitality on the picturesque monastery balcony overlooking the scenic landscape where Metropolitan Jonah and the others had the opportunity to share in conversation with the abbess about the contemporary life of the monastery.
With the blessing of His Holiness, His Beatitude, Ilia II, Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, the two hierarchs of the Georgian Orthodox Church that accompanied Metropolitan during this first full day in Georgia were His Eminence, Metropolitan Dimitri of Batumi and Lazeti, as well as Metropolitan Gerasim of Zugdidi and Tsaishi, and Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Georgian Patriarchate.
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Story and Photo Credit: www.st-catherine.ru