Patriarch: strength of Georgian nation rests on Christian values, choice made 1,700 years ago

The Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II has said the strength of the Georgian nation is founded on the unity of Christian values, spiritual and civic order and the historic choice Georgia made 1,700 years ago when it adopted Christianity as the state religion.

The message is included in the Patriarch’s Christmas Epistle, which reflects on Georgia’s Christian identity and contemporary challenges facing society.

The Patriarch recalls that in 326 AD, one year after the First Council of Nicaea, Georgia declared Christianity its state religion, placing the country among the spiritually advanced nations of its time. He notes that this decision shaped Georgia’s understanding of justice, governance and responsibility, and remains central to national identity today.

The Epistle reads that amid modern cultural and worldview challenges, this historical choice serves as a reminder that safeguarding Christian values is essential not only for honouring the past, but also for ensuring the country’s correct orientation in the future.

The Patriarch also observes that modern individuals often struggle to grasp spiritual truth and the meaning of life, highlighting the need to return to enduring Christian principles that transcend time.