Patriarch’s Chorepiscopos Resigns

Bishop Iakob has resigned as the Patriarch’s Chorepiscopos, making the respective statement when talking to journalists after leaving the Patriarchate today.

“I made a decision to step down as Chorepiscopos and head of the Finance and Economic Council. It was my decision. I remain in the eparchy," he noted.

In addition, he has apologized to the public for his abusive words used while on-air on a TV Pirveli program a few days ago.

In particular, the Chorbishop of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia told TV Pirveli that government officials tried to negotiate with him on the Patriarch’s dismissal. He named the participants of the meeting – then-Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, current Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, and former head of the State Security Service and current Minister of Internal Affairs Vakhtang Gomelauri. According to Archbishop Iakob, representatives of the Church, for example, Metropolitan Petre, also participated in this “conspiracy”, and various versions were discussed, including the possibility to liquidate the Patriarch.

He said that he asks for forgiveness, however, "the public should also consider his condition, as he had been hiding a lot of important information for three years.“

"I do not take my words back," he added.

By Ana Dumbadze