Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II has sent a congratulatory message to the Georgian Orthodox community of North America on the opening of a new church dedicated to Saint King Vakhtang Gorgasali in the United States. The message was published on December 13, according to the press service of the Georgian Patriarchate.

In his address, the primate of the Georgian Orthodox Church described the opening of the new church as a joyful event for the entire Church, noting that it coincided with the feast days commemorating the Apostle Andrew the First-Called and Saint King Vakhtang Gorgasali. Patriarch Ilia II expressed gratitude to the clergy and laypeople for their efforts in establishing the parish and called on the faithful to preserve unity, serve God and their neighbors, and remain true to Christian ideals.

“Rejoice, be strengthened, and strive not to spare your efforts in serving the Holy Trinity and the people,” the message said. The patriarch also conveyed his blessing to Bishop Sava of North America and wished spiritual strength to the Georgian flock living abroad.

The message refers to the Church of Saint Vakhtang Gorgasali, which the Georgian Orthodox community in the state of Illinois acquired in July of this year after many years of prayer and organizational work, the diocese said. The building is located in Lincolnshire, a suburb of Chicago, and has become the parish’s first church property.

According to the North American Diocese of the Georgian Orthodox Church, the new church will serve as a permanent spiritual center for Georgian emigrants, with services conducted in the Georgian language. The first Divine Liturgy in the newly opened church was celebrated by Bishop Sava of North America.

Photo: North American Diocese of the Georgian Church