TBILISI (Realist English). On 11 May, Georgia saw the succession of the head of its Orthodox Church for the first time in half a century.
The Holy Synod of the Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church (GAAOC) elected the 57‑year‑old Metropolitan of Senaki and Chkhorotsku, Shio (Moudjiri), as the new Catholicos‑Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi.
The election was conducted under strict canonical procedure in the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi and concluded at the twelfth hour of voting. The next day, 12 May, the solemn enthronement took place in the ancient capital of Mtskheta, at the Patriarchal Cathedral of Svetitskhoveli.
The new Patriarch succeeds Ilia II, who led the Church for almost 50 years (since 1977) and passed away on 25 April 2026 at the age of 94. Shio III is the fifth Primate of the Georgian Church since the restoration of its autocephaly in 1917.
Patriarch Shio III: from cello to monastic tonsure
The biography of the new Patriarch combines deep roots in Georgian culture, close ties with the Russian Orthodox Church, and a musical background rare for a church hierarch.
Baptised Elizbar Moudjiri was born on 1 February 1969 in Tbilisi. His father, Levan Moudjiri, was a well‑known Georgian monumental artist; his mother was a music teacher. Initially Elizbar followed a musical path: after school he entered the Tbilisi State Conservatory named after Vano Sarajishvili, studying cello. However, after the collapse of the Soviet Union he radically changed his life.
In 1991, the 22‑year‑old musician became a novice at the ancient monastery of Shio‑Mgvime (founded in the 6th century), from which he took his monastic name. In 1993 he was tonsured a monk, and in 1996 he was ordained a priest.
He received his theological education in Russia:
- He studied at the Moscow Theological Academy (Trinity‑St. Sergius Lavra).
- He continued his studies at the St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Humanitarian University in Moscow.
- From 2001 to 2003 he served at the Moscow church of the Great Martyr George the Victorious in Gruziny – a metochion of the Georgian Church in the Russian capital.
Returning to his homeland in 2003, he was elected bishop of the newly formed Eparchy of Senaki and Chkhorotsku. In 2009 he was elevated to archbishop, and in 2010 to metropolitan.
During the lifetime of Patriarch Ilia II, in 2017, he was appointed locum tenens of the patriarchal throne – in effect, the designated successor. For his ecclesiastical merits he was awarded the highest Georgian orders: the Order of St. George and the Order of St. Nino Equal to the Apostles.
How the election was held: 12 hours, 22 votes and competitors
The election took place in the Holy Trinity Cathedral (“Sameba”) in Tbilisi from 10:00 to 22:00 on 11 May 2026. Thirty‑nine bishops of the Georgian Orthodox Church took part in the vote.
Key figures:
- Metropolitan Shio (Moudjiri) – 22 votes
- Metropolitan Nikoloz (Pachuashvili) – 9 votes
- Metropolitan Iov (Akiachvili) – 7 votes
- One ballot was declared invalid.
To win, a candidate needed more than half the votes (at least 20). Shio obtained 22 votes in the first round, eliminating the need for a second round. According to the GAAOC statute, the election is valid if at least two‑thirds of the episcopate participate. Turnout was 100%.
The procedure was strictly closed: bishops had to hand over their mobile phones, and contact with the press was forbidden until the final results were announced. Observers noted that Shio had in effect been designated as the sole candidate during the lifetime of Patriarch Ilia II, who in 2017 appointed him locum tenens.
After the results were announced, the new Patriarch delivered a brief speech, thanking his brethren for their trust and promising to continue Ilia II’s course of preserving the unity of the Church and traditional values.
The enthronement took place the following day, 12 May, at the Patriarchal Cathedral of Svetitskhoveli in Mtskheta – Georgia’s spiritual centre, where, according to tradition, the Robe of the Lord is kept. The ceremony was broadcast live on Georgian television.
Congratulations from the Local Orthodox Churches
The Russian Orthodox Church reacted first. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia sent a congratulatory message in which he called Shio III’s ascension to the throne “a source of joy for all believers who share a spiritual bond with Georgia.”
Patriarch Kirill expressed hope for “the continuation of traditions of fraternal communication and joint witness to God’s truth in the modern world.”
Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II also congratulated the new Patriarch, noting that Shio III’s election was “a bright testimony of his many years of selfless service to the Church and the people.” Garegin II stressed the importance of dialogue between the Armenian and Georgian Churches, which have historically enjoyed good‑neighbourly relations.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople sent a restrained but official congratulation, recognising the canonical validity of the election.
The Vatican also responded: Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, wished the new Patriarch “to strengthen the bonds of heartfelt friendship” between the Catholic and Georgian Orthodox Churches.
The ruling party “Georgian Dream” and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze were among the first to congratulate the Patriarch, calling his election “legitimate and long‑awaited.”
The government’s official statement said: “We are confident that under the spiritual leadership of His Holiness and Beatitude Shio III, the Georgian Church will continue its mission of strengthening national self‑awareness and traditional values.”
