The Patriarchal Locum Tenens and Metropolitan of Senaki and Chkhorotsku secured 22 votes during the expanded Church Council held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi
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Front News Georgia
Georgia’s Orthodox Church has elected Metropolitan Shio as the country’s new Catholicos-Patriarch.
The Patriarchal Locum Tenens and Metropolitan of Senaki and Chkhorotsku secured 22 votes during the expanded Church Council held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi, becoming the 142nd Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia.
According to the official results, Metropolitan Iobi received nine votes, while Metropolitan Grigoli secured seven votes. One ballot was declared invalid.
The election was conducted by the expanded Church Council of the Georgian Orthodox Apostolic Autocephalous Church, with voting rights reserved for bishops.
The election follows the death of Ilia II on 17 March 2026 at the age of 93.
Ilia II led the Georgian Orthodox Church for nearly five decades and was widely regarded as one of the most influential religious figures in modern Georgian history.
The enthronement date for the newly elected patriarch is expected to be announced separately.
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