New Hotel Opens in Sno, Profits to Develop the Village

A new hotel named Sno was officially opened in the village of the same name in Kazbegi Region, eastern Georgia, where Georgia’s Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II was born.

The 34-room hotel was built with the funding of the Patriarchate of Georgia and its parish and its profits will be spent on development of the village. Around 40 locals will be employed at the hotel.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Catholicos-Patriarch, Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, President Giorgi Margvelashvili and representatives of the government, diplomatic corps and Georgian Orthodox Church.

The PM said that opening of the new hotel in the Patriatch’s hometown was symbolic, as the profit from it will be spent on the needs of the village population.

In his speech, the Prime Minister talked about ongoing and future infrastructural projects in the region.

“Construction of the Kobi-Gudauri cable way will be completed next year to transform Stepantsminda, Sno and the region into a winter resort. Hotel resources, such as this in Sno, directly relate to Gudauri potential,” Kvirikashvili stated.

President Margvelashvili addressed Ilia II in his speech, commending his special role in the development of the country.

“We learned from you strength without aggression, love without hypocrisy, faith without fanaticism. You really managed to strengthen our nation,” he told the Patriarch.

His Holiness Ilia II blessed the community gathered at the opening ceremony of the hotel which, he said, should be an example to other regions.

“We are in a very important region, the Sno valley which protects Georgia from the north. This hotel was built not because someone would benefit from it, but to contribute to the region’s development and set an example for the other regions,” the Patriarch stated.

Moreover, at the opening ceremony, the presentation of a book containing four parts and uniting the personal letters of Ilia II was held.

Sno is a tiny settlement located about 5 km from Stepantsminda. The home of the Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church is here, and there is a small church in the courtyard of the residence. Sno also boasts a large statue of King Vakhtang Gorgasali, and a tower fortification from the XVI century.

Thea Morrison