Patriarch Shio III presided over the 73rd stage of Georgia’s nationwide child baptism program at the Holy Trinity Patriarchal Cathedral in Tbilisi on Sunday, welcoming approximately 700 children as his godchildren.

The solemn ceremony took place on June 7, the Sunday of All Saints, following a Divine Liturgy celebrated by the head of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Clergy, parishioners, and families of children living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy attended the service. Patriarch Shio also administered Holy Communion and offered blessings to the children and their relatives.

Addressing the faithful after the baptisms, the Patriarch emphasized the spiritual significance of the sacrament, describing baptism as an essential step in entering the life of the Church and a symbol of spiritual rebirth and purification.

“If a person receives baptism with faith and repentance, they often experience an indescribable spiritual joy afterward. This is what it means to ‘put on Christ,’” Shio said during his sermon.

He also stressed that preserving the grace received through baptism requires adherence to Christian teachings, repentance, and continuous spiritual effort.

Last month, during a service marking Family Purity Day in Tbilisi, Shio reaffirmed his commitment to continuing the mass baptism tradition established by his predecessor, Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II. According to the Patriarch, the initiative has played an important role in strengthening family values, enriching the spiritual life of society, and supporting demographic growth in Georgia.

The nationwide baptism program was launched by Ilia II in 2008. Under the initiative, the Patriarch becomes the godfather of third and subsequent children in families that choose to participate. Over the years, the program has grown significantly, with the number of the Patriarch’s godchildren surpassing 50,000.