Georgian Parliament Speaker says only “pro-Georgian vs. anti-Georgian” divide exists

Georgian Parliament speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Thursday reflected on the legacy of the late Patriarch Ilia II, emphasising the prophetic nature of the late Patriarch’s 2004 warnings regarding threats to the nation and the Church.

In a social media message, Papuashvili noted that the Patriarch warned of external forces that do not want a strong Church in Georgia - an institution that unites the people, preserves their identity, and strengthens their spiritual foundations.

The speaker emphasised that in today’s context, there are no longer simply pro-Western or anti-Western, pro-Russian or anti-Russian, pro-Chinese-Iranian-European or opposite camps - there is only what is Georgian and what is anti-Georgian.

“During these days, as we honour the memory of our Patriarch, we also recall his words and the guidance he left us in abundance. His statements describing the situation at the time and the processes that the Church and state would have to undergo are especially striking. Under his leadership, the Church became a refuge and the sole pillar in an era of unrelenting storms - when atheistic oppression, persecution, identity erosion, civil strife, poverty, and despair surrounded the nation. And precisely at a time when new hopes seemed to arise, the Patriarch Ilia II already foresaw the threats ahead. In his 2004 remarks, he outlined with clarity the structure of the challenges that awaited both the nation and the Church”, Papuashvili said.

“The Patriarch speaks about those external forces that do not desire a strong Church in Georgia. They do not want a Church that unites the nation, protects its identity, and strengthens its spiritual foundation. If the Church does not enter the service of their globalist agenda, they will attempt to destroy it - through division, discredit, insults, and by pinning 'anti-Western' or 'pro-Russian' labels on it. They give this process false names like 'civil society', invent false ideologies like 'gender identity', and offer them to us as unconditional progress, to be worshipped and seen as a saviour a priori. They offer us a world where unelected NGOs must stand above the will of the people, where fashionable theories must stand above tradition, and where temporary ideologies are placed above faith. It is precisely this falsehood and danger that the Patriarch exposed as early as 2004, at a time when these processes were only beginning and were invisible to many. He saw that difficult years lay ahead - years that, for nine years, buried the idea of a natural alignment between the Church and the State”, he continued.

He further emphasised the Patriarch’s role in maintaining unity during periods of hardship, describing him as a unifying figure and a defender of Georgia’s national and spiritual values.

“Fortunately, he lived to see a time when key national concepts - independence, sovereignty, freedom, and statehood - returned to the forefront of state policy”, the speaker added.

Papuashvili concluded by saying that the dividing line was between those who served Georgia’s national interests and those influenced by foreign interests.

“This is a centuries-long struggle for faith, identity, and freedom - and in this struggle, we will prevail as we have for centuries”, he said.