Georgia gets new patriarch at a time of political turmoil

Orthodox bishops in Georgia elected a new patriarch, Shia III, yesterday, in a moment that represents a turning point for the South Caucasus country, where the Church plays an influential role in social and political life.

Born Elizbar Mudzhiri, 57-year-old Shio III was elected by a landslide in the Holy Synod of Georgia, which consists of 39 high-ranking bishops, with 22 votes.

Speaking at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi ahead of Monday's election, Shio III said Georgians were facing a "historic event" in electing a patriarch.

"...with the help of the Lord, the Georgian Orthodox Church, which has always been the unifier of the nation, the protector of the true faith, the Georgian language, traditions and historical memory, will continue on this path," he was quoted as saying by the Interpres news agency.

He will be enthroned today at a ceremony in Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia and the seat of its Orthodox Church.

Georgia adopted Christianity as its state religion in the early fourth century, and Georgians remain deeply religious: according to a 2017 Pew Research Center study, 89 percent of the population identifies as Orthodox Christians, Reuters reports.

Shio's predecessor, Ilia II, who died in March at the age of 93, led the Church for 49 years, overseeing its transformation from an institution suppressed under Soviet communist rule into the most powerful non-state body in Georgia.

Critics of Ilia II say that under his leadership the Church has fallen under the influence of the powerful Russian Orthodox Church, which President Vladimir Putin has used to mobilize support for Moscow's war in Ukraine. Moscow's influence remains a politically sensitive issue in Georgia, which fought and lost a brief war against Russia in 2008.

Shia III's election comes amid street protests against the ruling Georgian Dream party, for what its critics describe as a shift away from the Western path towards a pro-Russian and authoritarian course. Last week, 10 protest organizers were sentenced to long prison terms.

The Orthodox Church has largely refrained from commenting on the political situation. However, observers say the Church has in the past influenced Tbilisi's stance on social issues such as abortion and LGBT rights, which Ilia II has publicly opposed.

Shio III, born in Tbilisi, trained as a cellist before becoming a monk. Like Ilia II, he completed his theological studies at the Moscow Theological Academy.