UOC delegation meets with Georgian Church Synod in Tbilisi

Metropolitan Sergiy of Ternopil and Kremenets with Metropolitan Shio, locum tenens of the Georgian Patriarchal Throne. Photo: UOC

On March 23, 2026, in Tbilisi, a delegation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church met with Metropolitan Shio of Senaki and Chkhorotsqu, locum tenens of the Georgian Patriarchal Throne, and members of the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church, the UOC Information and Education Department reported.

The UOC delegation visited at the invitation of the Synod of the Georgian Church. The main purpose of the trip was to take part in the memorial services and funeral of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II of All Georgia, which took place on March 22.

With the blessing of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry of Kyiv and All Ukraine, the delegation included Metropolitan Sergiy of Ternopil and Kremenets, Archpriest Vasyl Pryts, secretary of the Department for External Church Relations, and Deacon Maksym Savchuk. Metropolitan Longin of Bancheny also came to bid farewell to Patriarch Ilia.

During the meeting, Metropolitan Sergiy conveyed the condolences of the Primate of the UOC. “His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry extends his sincere condolences on the repose of His Holiness Patriarch Ilia II,” the hierarch said, stressing that the departed primate played a major role in the revival and development of Orthodoxy in the modern world.

The two sides also discussed the fraternal relations between the Local Churches of Ukraine and Georgia. “We hope that the Lord will continue to bless our Orthodox peoples and strengthen the unity of the Church,” it was noted during the conversation.

Later that same day, Metropolitan Sergiy served a memorial litiya at the grave of Patriarch Ilia II in Tbilisi’s Sioni Cathedral.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that the OCU eparchy had commented on the participation of a UOC delegation in the funeral of the Patriarch of Georgia.

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