“New Patriarch Shio III will conduct festive liturgy on Family Sanctity Day,” Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze told the GPB’s First Channel.

According to Zviadadze, this will reconfirm how significant the protection of family and spiritual values is for the nation and church.

“May 17 is the day established by late Patriarch, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II and has special significance for the entire nation. Protecting Family Sanctity is based on church thinking and the Gospel. Regrettably, we will be marking this day without Ilia II this year for the first time.

However, by the grace of God, the new Patriarch is enthroned. The entire Church is confident that the newly enthroned Patriarch will celebrate this day, which is an important day for all of Georgia, with the same significance and specialness.

A festive sermon will be held on May 17. This will be the first time that the sermon is conducted after the death of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II. Delegations and high-ranking clergymen from the world and Orthodox Churches are invited.

New Patriarch Shio III will conduct a festive liturgy on Family Sanctity Day. This will reconfirm how significant the protection of family and spiritual values, defining our consciousness and identity, is for the nation and church,” he said.