Metropolitan Rostislav of Czech Lands congratulates Georgian Church on 1,700 year anniversary

Metropolitan Rostislav of the Czech Lands and Slovakia offered formal congratulations to the Georgian Orthodox Church on October 14, 2026, marking the 1,700th anniversary of Christianity’s adoption as Georgia’s state religion.

Speaking from the historic Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta, the Metropolitan recalled that the conversion of the Kingdom of Kartli took place in 326 under King Mirian III, a turning point that forged the nation’s spiritual identity. He praised St. Nino, the Enlightener of Georgia, for her missionary work that led to the kingdom’s baptism.

Drawing a parallel with Central European Christian history, Rostislav highlighted St. Ludmila’s role in spreading the faith in the Czech lands. As a symbol of the churches’ shared heritage, he presented Catholicos‑Patriarch Shio III with an icon that contains a relic of St. Ludmila.

“Despite geographical distance and different historical experiences, in Christ we are always close to one another,” he emphasized, urging deeper mutual understanding and joint Orthodox witness in a world increasingly in need of unity and hope.

The celebration formed part of a week‑long series of events that include a solemn Divine Liturgy, an international symposium titled “God, Homeland, Man,” and meetings between ecclesiastical and state leaders. The Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew also sent a message of congratulations, noting the importance of the Georgian Church’s apostolic heritage and the broader responsibility of Orthodoxy to serve society.

Representatives from the Serbian Orthodox Church participated in the liturgy, while delegations from the Patriarchates of Alexandria, Antioch, Cyprus, Greece, Poland and Ukraine attended earlier meetings with Patriarch Shio III. The presence of these churches underscores a renewed spirit of cooperation among Orthodox communities.

Patriarch Shio III used his address to stress that Christianity remains the foundation of Georgia’s faith, unity and national identity, and he called for peace in the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The celebrations are scheduled to continue through October 15, with additional liturgical services and cultural programs.