Meeting of Holy Synod Underway at Patriarchate of Georgia

A meeting of the Holy Synod is underway at the Patriarchate of Georgia.  The clerics of the higher hierarchy did not specify what issues will be discussed at today's session and say that this will be announced after the session is over.

However, it is not excluded that the clergy of the higher hierarchy will discuss, among other important matters, Archbishop Jacobs' recent statements in the media.

Today's session is attended by the Archbishop of Bodbe, Archbishop Jacob, who resigned from his post as the Patriarch’s Chorepiscopos, making the respective statement on October 28.

He apologized to the public for the abusive words he 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 

Related Story: Patriarch’s Chorepiscopos Resigns