Patriarchate suspends clerical duties of anti-Government archimandrite Kurashvili

The Patriarchate of Georgia has suspended the right to perform priestly duties of Archimandrite Dorothe Kurashvili, citing repeated violations of ecclesiastical conduct, the Patriarchate said in a statement.

According to the statement, the decision was taken on the basis of the 55th Apostolic Canon, after Kurashvili, a clergyman of the Holy Trinity (Sameba) Cathedral in Tbilisi, had previously received multiple warnings for behaviour deemed incompatible with priestly ethics.

“Despite repeated warnings, due to multiple violations of canonical ecclesiastical ethics, the right to perform priestly duties of Archimandrite Dorothe (Kurashvili) is suspended on the basis of the 55th Apostolic Canon,” the Patriarchate said.

Kurashvili has previously spoken at anti-government, pro-European protests.