Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
The circumstances surrounding the death of the Patriarch of All Georgia at the age of 93 meant that the Georgian hierarchs of the diaspora, who should have been with you today, are unable to participate in such an important conference.
It was for this reason that I have written to the members, guests and patrons of the symposium to convey my warmest regards and blessings.
Allow me to greet the participants of the conference and express my profound respect. I am convinced of the relevance of this conference’s purpose and the importance of the chosen scientific topics.
Yes, this meeting is important, and here’s why:
1. For the first time in years, the Western dioceses of the Georgian Orthodox Church, its ruling bishops, and Georgian theologians working in Europe are jointly organizing a conference.
2. Today’s symposium is dedicated to the 1700th anniversary of the declaration of Christianity as the state religion in Georgia. I would also like to thank the Faculty of Theology of the University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, and in particular the Head of the Chair of Theology of the Christian East, Professor Dr Thomas Kremer, for their hospitality and support.
3. Of great importance and significance is the support given by the local hierarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Gerasime (Sharashenidze) Bishop of Germany and Austria has expressed to today’s symposium, which is being held as part of the annual gatherings of Georgian theologians and theology students working outside the borders of Georgia. I would say this is of the utmost importance.
4. This meeting is the fruit of the very high academic culture that you — the young Georgian theologians represented here — have demonstrated at the last meetings.
5. You young people have taken the first step towards cooperation with the Mother Church. This is a manifestation of a high culture and, I would say, a testament to spirituality.
6. You are the future of the Church. You have proven to be more strong, prudent and consistent in every respect than we — the hierarchs — had imagined.
I would like to extend my special thanks to the organisations that supported the event. Among them, I would particularly like to single out Renovabis and its representation, which is with us today; As well as the Collegium Orientale, which has become an ,Alma Mater‘ in the field of theology for Georgian students.
Today, these students are the most sincere supporters of the Mother Church. We see them in the service of the Church; they are capable of conducting academic discourse not only on theological matters, but also on current ecclesiastical and institutional issues.
We wish you fruitful academic work and pleasant meetings.
His Eminence Dositheos (Bogveradze),
Bishop of the Diocese Belgium and Holland (Georgian Orthodox Church)