Patriarch’s locum tenens poisoned – media

Georgia’s several media outlets on Wednesday claimed Senaki and Chkhorotskhu Metropolitan Shio Mujiri, who is Patriarch Ilia II’s locum tenens, has been poisoned, with the Patriarchate’s spokesperson saying an official information would be released later. 

Initially, Mtavari Arkhi channel on Wednesday reported based on theologian Levan Taturashvili that the top clergyman had been poisoned with arsenic. 

“After the service at the Trinity Cathedral, he felt unwell and went to the doctors. An examination was conducted and arsenic was found in his blood. After that, the Government and the Patriarchate decided to keep the information confidential”, he claimed. 

Rustavi 2 TV channel on Thursday said “several suspicious substances” had been found in the Metropolitan’s blood, adding his condition deteriorated a week ago. 

In a telephone interview with the channel, the Patriarch’s doctor, Tsisana Shartava, said the Metropolitan “is feeling well now”. 

During his St. George’s Day sermon on November 23, 2017, Patriarch Ilia II named Shio Mujiri as locum tenens.  The statute of the Georgian Orthodox Church reads the locum tenens will temporarily govern the church after the Patriarchal throne becomes vacant. 

He will be also tasked to organize the process of election of a new Patriarch.