Senior officials from Gov’t of Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia visit Mount Athos, highlight spiritual unity, national resilience

Senior representatives of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia met with religious leaders to reaffirm ties between the Georgian Orthodox Church and the monastic community of the Iviron Monastery as part of an official visit to Mount Athos.

Anzor Margiani, Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia and Davit Patsatsia, Minister for Internally Displaced Persons from Abkhazia, were joined by Georgia’s Consul General in Thessaloniki, Gela Japaridze, during a meeting with Archimandrite Nathanael, the abbot of the Iviron Monastery.

The delegation said the visit had focused on the preservation of Orthodox Christian traditions, the sanctity of relics housed in the monastery, and the importance of spiritual unity among believers.

"I am deeply grateful to Archimandrite Nathanael for his warm hospitality," said Patsatsia, who left a message in the monastery’s guest book. "It was a great honour and joy to be received at Iviron. Georgia continues to progress, but spiritual strength and faith remain essential. Our homeland has endured through belief and divine love."

He further added “we have our own New Athos in Abkhazia [the currently Russian-controlled Georgian territory in the country’s north-west], and I am hopeful that, with God's grace, we will soon pray together once again in a united Georgia, in our New Athos."

Archimandrite Nathanael extended his blessing to the Georgian delegation and wished them resilience and spiritual strength in their work.

Mount Athos, a revered monastic republic in northern Greece, is home to the Iviron Monastery, historically linked to Georgian Orthodoxy.