Church observes recent upheaval over foreign influence bill with heavy heart – Patriarch’s locum tenens

Shio Mujiri, Patriarch’s locum tenens, on Friday said the church was observing the recent upheaval surrounding the foreign influence bill with “heavy heart”, addressing a congregation gathered at Kashveti Church on the occasion of the Day of Family Sanctity. 

Expressing “deep concern”, the cleric acknowledged the presence of both proponents and opponents of the law within the church community, including many young individuals.

“We have witnessed with profound sorrow the discord and tension surrounding the passage of the ‘Transparency Law’ in our parliament. It grieves us deeply to see members of our church, particularly our youth, divided over this issue. We earnestly contemplate how to reconcile these conflicts within our nation,” he said. 

Highlighting the “global struggle against family values”, Shio emphasized the vital role of family unity in fostering peace within society. While refraining from attributing motives, he underscored the importance of upholding and cherishing familial bonds.

“In today’s world, where family values face unprecedented challenges, it is imperative to actively uphold and cherish these values as sacred. Since the dawn of creation, God has ordained the family as the cornerstone of human existence. Thus, we revere the family as a divine institution,” Shio asserted.

Today marks the Orthodox Church’s celebration of the “Day of Sanctity of the Family and Respect for Parents” in Georgia. Despite widespread protests, the Georgian Parliament passed the controversial “Agents’ Law” on May 14th, prompting police action against nine individuals arrested during recent demonstrations.