U.S. Delegation Honored to Meet with Patriarch Shio III, United States Looks Forward to Deepening Relations with Georgian Orthodox Church - U.S. Embassy

The U.S. Embassy in Georgia is releasing a statement from visiting State Department officials following their meeting with the Patriarch on May 27.

“The United States delegation was honored to meet with His Holiness and Beatitude Shio III, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, at the Patriarchate in Tbilisi.

The delegation emphasized the civilizational ties that underpin U.S.-Georgia relations. The United States sees Georgia’s fundamental values ​​as the foundation of this friendship, including faith, family, national identity, and a deep respect for the God-given rights that ensure human dignity.

The U.S. delegation emphasized the Christian virtues that have distinguished Georgian civilization for centuries, including compassion and mercy, and the Church’s historic mission to be a voice of reconciliation among Georgians. The delegation expressed hope that the Church will continue this mission of strengthening national unity with renewed vigor.

The United States looks forward to Georgia’s "Deepening relations with the Orthodox Church," the statement notes.

For information, on May 27, His Holiness and Beatitude, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazia Shio III received representatives of the United States Department of State at the Patriarchal Residence.

The Catholicos-Patriarch was met by representatives of the US Department of State: Charles Yoke and Peter Andreoli, as well as their entourage, and the Acting Ambassador of the United States to Georgia, Alan Purcell.