Georgian Patriarch Shio III honours fallen in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali wars, prays for reconciliation

A civil memorial service was held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral for the individuals missing since the armed conflicts of the 1990s, whose remains were transferred from the Russian-occupied region of Abkhazia.

Following the conclusion of the memorial service, Shio III, the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi, and Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazia, addressed the congregation.

“Dear fathers, grieving families, brothers, and sisters, I once again share your grief. This is a shared sorrow. Together, we remember our heroes, spiritual children, brothers, and sisters who perished for the homeland in Abkhazia, in that terrible war. We also remember not only Georgians, but Abkhazians alongside them. We also recall the Tskhinvali war, and our brothers and sisters who died in Tskhinvali - both Georgians and Ossetians. May God rest their souls, may God heal our wounds, and may He grant us the grace of a great reconciliation. May our reconciliation happen so that fratricidal wars never occur again. Instead, let us reconcile, and may our brotherly coexistence, as it was for centuries, continue so that we may live in a unified country in peace and by God's grace. May God bless you and strengthen you all!” Shio III stated.

Georgian prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze, along with members of his government, attended the service at the Holy Trinity Cathedral.