As a result of the collaborative efforts of the Patriarchate, the State, international experts, and Georgian specialists, the condition of the main cathedral at Gelati is stable – Maia Bitadze
Father Kirion, Deputy Chairman of the Temporary Committee for the Rehabilitation of Gelati, briefed Minister of Culture Maia Bitadze on the progress of rehabilitation works at the Gelati Monastery—a World Cultural Heritage site.
"First and foremost, I would like to thank the Temporary Committee for the Rehabilitation of Gelati, and Father Kirion personally, for the immense undertaking and the responsibility they have assumed. The Temporary Committee is overseeing the rehabilitation of Gelati—a monument of vital importance to our past, present, and future," stated Maia Bitadze.
As the Minister noted, thanks to the joint work of the Patriarchate, the State, international experts, and Georgian specialists, the condition of the main cathedral at Gelati is stable.
For years, the cathedral had been damaged by water and moisture. According to the Ministry of Culture, the church is currently protected by a unified temporary roof and a temporary drainage system; all critical sections of the murals have been reinforced, and the mosaics are stable. The Ministry of Culture reports that the church’s structures and environmental conditions are being continuously monitored using modern technology. Initial emergency conservation work has been completed. "The phased restoration of the Gelati Monastery complex is currently underway. The state is funding this process, and the work is being carried out with the authorization of the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation. It is proceeding in accordance with a holistic conservation plan, developed by leading international experts in line with recommendations from the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and its advisory bodies. International experts and highly qualified specialists from various countries are involved in all key areas of the project.
Our primary goal is to ensure that the Gelati Monastery—a symbol of our country’s unity, faith, and national identity—has a future that spans many centuries to come," stated Maia Bitadze. Along with the Minister, the Gelati Monastery Complex was visited by Levan Zalkaliani, State Representative in the Imereti Region; Zaza Lominadze, Member of Parliament (representing the Kutaisi Municipality); Davit Eremeishvili, Mayor of the Kutaisi Municipality; Zaza Kvitsiani, Director of the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation; Tea Oniani, First Deputy Director of the Agency; and Giorgi Tikurishvili, Head of the Department of Infrastructure Development and Logistics at the Ministry of Culture.