U.S. Embassy in Georgia extends congratulations to GOC on election of Shio III as Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia

The U.S. Embassy in Georgia congratulates the Georgian Orthodox Church on the election of His Holiness and Beatitude Shio III as Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia.

According to the Embassy, this is a historic occasion as the first election of a Patriarch since Georgia regained its independence.

“The United States extends its most heartfelt congratulations to the Georgian Orthodox Church and its faithful on the election of His Holiness and Beatitude Shio III as Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia.

This is a historic occasion as the first election of a Patriarch since Georgia regained its independence. We wish him great success and look forward to engaging the Georgian Orthodox Church—one of the world’s oldest Christian denominations—on the advancement of our shared cultural and civilizational objectives,” reads the statement from the Embassy.

The expanded council of the Georgian Orthodox Church elected Metropolitan Shio (Mujiri) as the new, 142nd Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia on May 11.

The United States extends its most heartfelt congratulations to the Georgian Orthodox Church and its faithful on the election of His Holiness and Beatitude Shio III as Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia. This is a historic occasion as the first election of a Patriarch since…

— U.S. Embassy Tbilisi (@usingeo) May 12, 2026