Georgia marks 1,700 years of Christianity with state‑church pledges on 12 Oct 2026
Georgia marked the 1,700th anniversary of Christianity as the state religion on 12 October 2026 with an international symposium titled “God, Homeland, Human” at the Radisson hotel in Tbilisi, attended by Patriarch Shio III, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili and President Mikheil Kavelashvili.
The gathering highlighted the belief that Christianity, national identity and traditional values should form the foundation of Georgian statehood, a message the leaders framed as a response to the challenges of modernity.
“The state pays particular attention to these enduring values. In close cooperation with the Church, we will firmly defend the heritage on which our national unity and development rest,” Prime Minister Kobakhidze said.
Speaker Papuashvili warned that while the world undergoes rapid technological and economic shifts, societies that preserve their identity “stand firmest during periods of change.” President Kavelashvili expanded on this theme, naming seven “eternal values” – God, homeland, the individual, native land, language, faith and family – as the core shield against the de‑valuing effects of globalisation and artificial intelligence.
“Today, as the modern world faces a crisis of values and geopolitical upheaval, we have a duty to ask a fundamental question: what should form the foundations of the Georgian state, society and individual? These seven symbols form the basis of our identity,” Kavelashvili said.
Patriarch Shio III echoed the call for technology to serve humanity rather than dominate it, urging that progress not distance society from spiritual roots.
“Technology should serve humanity, not humanity technology. Knowledge should not distance us from faith, and progress should not make us forget spirituality,” the Patriarch said.
In his address, the Patriarch also appealed for peace in the disputed Abkhazia and Tskhinvali regions, expressing hope that “brotherly unity and love will be restored.” He extended prayers to Georgians living abroad, saying the Church awaits their return to the homeland.
The symposium concluded with a reaffirmation that the Georgian Orthodox Church will remain a partner in protecting the nation’s cultural and spiritual heritage, while government officials signaled vigilance against external influences that could erode those historic values.
