Georgian President сongratulates Patriarch on his election
Mikheil Kavelashvili called the election of the 142nd Primate of the Georgian Church an event of enormous national significance.
On May 11, 2026, Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili congratulated Metropolitan Shio on his election as Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia in a message published on his Facebook page.
The head of state stressed that the choice of a new spiritual leader is directly connected with the future of the homeland, the unity of the people, and the country’s centuries-old traditions. In his address, the president expressed confidence that under the leadership of the new Patriarch, the Georgian Orthodox Church would grow even stronger.
Kavelashvili also emphasized the Patriarch’s “immeasurable role” in establishing ideals of love, peace, and mutual respect within society.
“I sincerely wish You to worthily continue the legacy of the nation’s principal pillar – His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II,” the president stated.
As the UOJ reported, Metropolitan Shio became the 142nd Primate of the Georgian Church. Since November 2017, he had served as locum tenens of the patriarchal throne and was considered the closest associate of the previous head of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Within Church circles, Metropolitan Shio is known as a consistent defender of canonical Orthodoxy and traditional moral values.
