In the Patriarchate of Georgia, at a special reception to mark the 95 anniversary of the restoration of autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II appealed to the representatives of the accredited in Georgia diplomatic mission for help in the parliamentary elections. The patriarch stressed the need to restore Georgian churches in Turkey territory. His Holiness also spoke about the situation of religious minorities in Georgia.

The meeting was attended by the ambassadors of Turkey and Israel, U.S. AmbassadorJohn Bass and the representatives of other diplomatic missions.

We offer the speech of the Patriarch:

“Your Excellencies, Ambassadors, Ladies and Gentlemen, I cordially welcome you on behalf of the Church of Georgia, personally on my behalf and on behalf of the Holy Synod. We invited you to this celebration, which is very important to us. This Sunday marks 95 years since the restoration of autocephaly of the Georgian Church. I want to note that religion is of great importance for the state and in general for the whole world.

The Georgian Church is one of the oldest Christian Churches of the world, which was founded in the first century. In the fourth century Christianity became the state religion of Georgia and in the fifth century Georgian Church is already autocephalous that is of great importance.

For many centuries the Georgian Church, together with the Armenian Church, represented the Christian oasis in this Muslim region. The Georgian church was independent and autocephalous until the early 19th century.

By order of the Emperor of Russia, the autocephaly of the Georgian Church was abolished and it came under the dictates of the Russian Church. From 1811 to 1917 year there were appointed 19 Egzarchoses, of which only the first Egzarhos was an ethnic Georgian, and the rest were Russians.

The Georgian Church has always tried to restore autocephaly, which was of great importance not only for the Church, but also for the state and our culture.

In 1917 year the church meeting was held in Svetitskhoveli Cathedral of Mtskheta where was declared the restoration of autocephaly. With God's Blessing, we continue this tradition, which was established in the first century.

Today the Georgian Church is doing everything to have been firmly laid the foundations of democracy in the state, to restore the unity of Georgia and we will do everything to preserve our spiritual and cultural values.

It is the sad fact that some detractors spread rumors abroad, though the Georgian church violates the rights of religious minorities. In fact, this is not true - all have the right to identify their religious feelings.

We are very concerned about the fact that the Georgian churches located in Turkey, gradually breaking down and we should be given the opportunity to lead the restoration of these temples.

We thank you for your visit and will be glad if you visit us often. We now have a difficult period, the period of the parliamentary elections, and we ask your help in this matter.

And finally, I want you to listen to one of my musical compositions - "AGNUS DEI", which I wrote in Latin. Thanks again for your visit. God bless you.”

At the meeting it was announced that on April 2, at a regular meeting of Interreligious omnibus of Religions of Georgia, by the initiative of the Georgian Church, will be considered the advisability of signing the agreement between Georgia and Turkey, according to which, in return for the restoration of Georgian churches of Oshki and Khakhuli located on territory of Turkey, in Batumi will be built the mosque of Azizeya, and in the process of restoration of the Ahmed mosque complex on the territory of Akhaltsikhe Rabat should be involved the Turkish side too.