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Georgia Elects New Patriarch of Influential Orthodox Church
Shio III won 22 of 39 votes as Georgia’s Holy Synod chose him to lead a church that shapes national politics and social life.
- On Monday, May 11, the Holy Synod elected Metropolitan Shio as the new Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia. The 57-year-old bishop received 22 votes from the 39 senior bishops and will take the name Shio III.
- Shio III succeeds Ilia II, who led the Georgian Orthodox Church for 49 years before dying on March 17, 2026, at age 93. Shio had served as "locum tenens" since 2017, designated by Ilia II as the temporary successor.
- Born Elizbar Teimuraz Mujiri in Tbilisi 57 years ago, the patriarch trained as a cellist at the State Conservatory before pursuing theological studies at the Moscow Theological Academy and becoming a monk in 1993.
- The enthronement ceremony occurred Tuesday morning at the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta. Shio III officially assumed roles including Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and Metropolitan of Abkhazia and Bichvinta.
- With 89% of the population identifying as Orthodox Christians, the Church remains a powerful social force in Georgia. Shio III assumes leadership amid street protests against the ruling Georgian Dream party over its pivot toward a pro-Russian stance.
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[Moscow, Kyodo] The Georgian Orthodox Church held an expanded church council in the capital Tbilisi on the 11th and elected Patriarchal Vicar Sio (57) as the successor to Patriarch Ilya II, who died in March. His coronation as the 142nd Patriarch, Sio III, will take place on the 12th in the suburbs of Tbilisi.
The new Patriarch is 57 years old and will now bear the name Shio III. He was voted for by 22 members of the Holy Synod out of 39.
·Kyiv, Ukraine
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The Holy Synod has named the new Patriarch of Georgia, the enthronement will take place tomorrow. Metropolitan Shio received 22 votes at the meeting of bishops. The enthronement ceremony of the new Patriarch will take place on May 12 in the city of Mtskheta.
·Kyiv, Ukraine
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Total News Sources10
Leaning Left1Leaning Right2Center1Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Right
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Right
50% Right
L 25%
C 25%
R 50%
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