The expert assessed the prospects for the election of a new patriarch of the Georgian Church

The passions in the election of the new Patriarch of Georgia are very high because of the great authority of the Georgian Orthodox Church in the political and public life of the country. Archil Sikharulidze, a political scientist and founder of the SIKHA Foundation Research Institute, stated this in an interview with Izvestia.

According to the will of Patriarch Ilia II, 57-year-old Metropolitan Shio (Mujiri) of Senak and Chorotskui was appointed locum tenens. He is considered the main contender for the role of patriarch. The probability that his candidacy will be approved is quite high, the expert admitted.

"I think that in the end nothing unexpected will happen and Metropolitan Shio will take the top position. In the future, he will continue the policy of Elijah II, that is, he will avoid sudden movements, rely on the balance of power and maintain good-neighborly relations with the Russian Orthodox Church. This will allow the Abkhaz and South Ossetian parishes to remain at least nominally part of the GOC," he said.

The Ecumenical Conspiracy: why does Constantinople need the Georgian Orthodox Church

Patriarch Bartholomew may use the death of Elijah II to strengthen his own influence

On March 22, the funeral of Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II took place in Tbilisi. Thousands of believers, representatives of the clergy, officials and members of foreign delegations took part in the funeral procession. Mikhail Shvydkoi, Representative of the President of Russia for International Cultural Cooperation, also attended the ceremony.

On March 31, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service reported that Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople intends to interfere in the election of a new patriarch in Georgia, thus seeking to achieve a split in world Orthodoxy.

Read more about the possible outcome of the election of the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Izvestia article.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.