Meeting of Holy Synod to be Held on October 31

The meeting of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Georgia will be held on October 31, the Patriarchate announced on Tuesday evening.

Reportedly, the decision was made by Patriarch Ilia II. The Holy Synod will decide whether or not the issue of Bishop Iakob should be discussed.

Bishop Iakob has resigned as the Patriarch’s Chorepiscopos, making the respective statement on October 28.

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 

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