Bulgarian Patriarch and Georgian locum tenens discuss inter-church ties

Meeting of Bulgarian Patriarch Daniel with the locum tenens of the Georgian Patriarchal Throne, Metropolitan Shio of Senaki. Photo: bg-patriarshia

On March 23, 2026, in Tbilisi, Bulgarian Patriarch Daniil met with Metropolitan Shio of Senaki and Chkhorotsqu, locum tenens of the Georgian Patriarchal Throne, after the funeral of Patriarch Ilia II, the Bulgarian Patriarchate reported.

The meeting took place in the morning before the Bulgarian delegation departed for home. Members of the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church also took part.

The Bulgarian delegation included Metropolitan Gavriil of Lovech, along with representatives of the clergy and laity of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church.

Patriarch Daniil expressed his condolences over the repose of Patriarch Ilia II, stressing his major role for the entire Orthodox world.

The two sides noted the centuries-old spiritual ties between the Bulgarian and Georgian peoples. At the close of the meeting, Patriarch Daniil thanked his hosts for their hospitality and offered prayers that the Georgian Church would be granted a worthy primate.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that an official delegation of the UOC had taken part in the burial of Patriarch Ilia II.

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