The Orthodox Church of Georgia in the Ecumenical Movement (1960-1997)

“In our century, people of different faiths increasingly feel like children of the one Creator, Heavenly Father, and bravely swallow the artificially created contradictions over the centuries, striving for rapprochement. All of this confirms to us the hope of the approach of the longed-for unity inherited in the Gospel (John 17, 22). Over the past years, the ecumenical movement has thoroughly studied the theoretical problems that divide and unite us. The time has come for us to think more deeply about practical measures aimed at our unity… When we review the entire path we have gone through, we ask the question: Have our deeds and desires been effective enough in the past? Should we follow the same course and pace in the future? I think none of us have any doubt that we need to look for new ways new people with new ideas. It is not enough to be a theologian today; you must be a sociologist, an ecumenist, a zealous preacher, and a “sober” realist. If we want to get closer, we must become a bridge between different forms of human thinking and people with different religious and cultural traditions.”

Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II (1977-Present)