Η Πρόεδρος της Γεωργίας στο Πατριαρχείο Ιεροσολύμων

Τήν πρωΐαν τῆς Τετάρτης 22ας Ἰανουαρίου 2020, ἔλαβε χώραν ἡ ἐπίσκεψις εἰς τό Πατριαρχεῖον τῆς ἐξοχωτάτης Προέδρου τῆς Γεωργίας κ. Salome Zourabishvili μετά συνοδείας αὐτῆς ἐκ τοῦ Πρέσβεως κ. Lasha καί ἄλλων ἐκ Γεωργίας καί τῆς Πρεσβείας αὐτῆς εἰς Ἰσραήλ.

Τήν ἐξοχωτάτην Πρόεδρον ὑπεδέχθη ἐνθέρμως ἡ Α.Θ.Μ. ὁ Πατήρ ἡμῶν καί Πατριάρχης Ἱεροσολύμων κ.κ. Θεόφιλος μετά Πατέρων Ἁγιοταφιτῶν, Ἀρχιερέων καί Ἱερομονάχων, προσεφώνησε δέ διά τῆς κάτωθι προσφωνήσως αὐτοῦ ἀγγλιστί:

“Your Excellency, Mrs. President, Salome Zourabichvili,

It is an honour to receive you today at Our Patriarchate, the Mother of all Churches, here in the Holy City of Jerusalem. It was from here where the Good News spread to every nation, including the great country of Georgia.

Our Patriarchate represents the entire Christian Community in the Holy Land, “gathered like chicks under her wing” (Luke 13:34), comprising both local Christians as well as millions of pilgrims from around the world who come to Jerusalem for spiritual refreshment.

Since the very inception of the Church, the presence of Our Patriarchate has remained unbreakable. In fact, it is the only institution in the Holy Land to have survived throughout the ages without interruption. This is not by accident. It is precisely due to the commitment of the Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre to Our spiritual mission that not only our Christian presence and sacred heritage has thrived, but also Jerusalem has been able to maintain her unique multi-cultural and multi-religious character. For a significant period, Jerusalem even served as a cultural and spiritual centre for Georgia. The Patriarchate is heartened by the fact that it facilitates so many various groups of people who come to seek proximity with the Divine.

Although the role of the Patriarchate is spiritual, fortunately We have not been limited by this in Our contribution to discourse across diplomatic and governmental spheres. In the wake of recent political challenges, the integrity of Our Patriarchate has served as a powerful testament to the benefits of nurturing mutual-understanding, acknowledging common life, and advocating for peace and reconciliation among all people. To this effect, We continue to be protected and even embraced by the local governments, i.e. Israel, the Palestinian State, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and of course supported by the major religious communities – Christian, Muslim, and Jewish as well.

Such support is critical to the vitality of the Patriarchate’s continued mission and work as the protector of physical and spiritual Christian heritage. After all, We do not represent ourselves here, but all of you – our Orthodox brothers and sisters – many of whom reside under the auspices of your leadership.

Mrs. President, again We extend Our warm welcome to you and your delegation, and We pray that your visit to Jerusalem be blessed and fruitful, and that the Divine Grace of the holy places sanctified by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, remain with you and your countrymen.”

Καί ἐτίμησε διά τοῦ παρασήμου τοῦ Μεγαλοσταύρου τοῦ Τάγματος τῶν Σταυροφόρων τοῦ Παναγίου Τάφου εἰς ἀναγνώρισιν τῶν ἐνεργειῶν αὐτῆς καί προσφορᾶς ὑπέρ τοῦ ἔθνους καί τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τῆς Γεωργίας καί τῶν ἀγαστῶν σχέσεων τῆς χώρας τῆς Γεωργίας μετά τοῦ Πατριαρχείου.

Ἡ ἐξοχωτάτη Πρόεδρος συγκεκινημένη ηὐχαρίστησε τόν Μακαριώτατον καί εἶπεν ὅτι ἐκ τῆς θέσεως αὐτῆς θά συμβάλῃ εἰς τό ἄνοιγμα νέας σελίδος εἰς τάς σχέσεις μεταξύ Πατριαρχείου καί χώρας τῆς Γεωργίας, ὡς ὑπαγορεύει τό παρελθόν τῶν σχέσεων τούτων.

Τῆς ἐπισκέψεως εἰς τό Πατριαρχεῖον ληξάσης, ἡ Πρόεδρος τῆς Γεωργίας ἐπεσκέφθη τόν Ναόν τῆς Ἀναστάσεως συνοδευομένη καί ξεναγουμένη ὑπό τῆς Α.Θ.Μ. καί τῶν Ἁγιοταφιτῶν Πατέρων καί ἐζήτησε τήν εὐλογίαν τοῦ Ἁγίου Τάφου διά τήν εὐόδωσιν καί ἐπιτυχίαν τῆς ἀποστολῆς αὐτῆς καί τήν εὐημερίαν τοῦ ἔθνους αὐτῆς.