Georgian Patriarch Shio III calls for strengthening family value legislation

On the Day of Family Purity and Respect for Parents, His Holiness and Beatitude Shio III, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazia, on Sunday addressed the congregation at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, delivering a strong message on the protection of traditional family values, demographic challenges, and legislative reinforcement.

In his sermon, the Patriarch emphasised that Georgia’s demographic situation requires urgent attention and called on citizens to reject external calls to abandon legislation aimed at protecting the family unit.

“May the Lord grant us the grace to care for the protection of family values”, Shio III stated. “We should not reject the legislation [protecting family values], as some urge us to do, but rather strengthen and reinforce it”.

He further spoke sharply against abortion, linking the spiritual health of a family to its ultimate survival and happiness, stating that a family cannot be built on “grave sin”.

“If a grave sin, such as abortion, revolves within a family, then, of course, you cannot build any happiness on such a foundation; such a family is doomed”, Shio warned, referencing biblical teachings that “the blood of the slain cries out to God for vengeance”.

Conversely, the Patriarch highlighted the joy of large families, noting that while raising the first three children can be difficult, managing a large household becomes easier over time. “A child born every two or three years is an angel sent by God, warming and illuminating everything around them”, he added.

Shio III expressed deep concern over Georgia's current demographic trends, warning that failure to protect traditional family structures could lead to significant demographic shifts in the country.

“If we do not think about all this, if we do not correct our demographic situation... there is a real danger that other peoples will settle in our beautiful, paradise-like country alongside us - peoples who love children, do not get rid of them, and protect their religion”, he said, warning that these populations could eventually outnumber Georgians.

To counter this, he urged for robust legal frameworks to shield the population from external cultural influences.

“May the Lord grant us grace to work and strive for the survival of the family... to have legislation that protects the family and our people from harmful gender theories and ideologies. Strengthening this direction is the guarantee of our country's survival, multiplication, and God's mercy”, the Patriarch concluded.