During his trip to Georgia, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate's Department for External Church Relations, and his entourage visited the holy places of Tbilisi.
The guests from the Russian Orthodox Church visited the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity of Sameba, built on the initiative of His Beatitude Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II.
Then the DECR Chairman and his companions proceeded to the ancient Zion Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, where Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, together with Metropolitan Nicholas of Akhalkalaki, Kumurda and Kars, co-served by Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, adviser to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, and Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, Deputy Chairman of the DECR, celebrated a requiem mass at the tomb of His Holiness and Beatitude the Catholicos-Patriarch. Elijah II. The service was attended by the rector of the Zion Cathedral, Protopresbyter Georgy Zviadadze, and the head of the Russian Federation Interests Section at the Embassy of the Swiss Confederation in Georgia, D.A. Olisov. Vladyka Anthony also worshiped the shrines located in the cathedral: the miraculous cross of Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina and the relics of St. John of Manglis.
Then the DECR Chairman, accompanied by Metropolitan Andrey of Gori and Aten and Metropolitan Nikolai of Akhalkalaki, Kumurdo and Kars, visited the Russian church of the Blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky in Tbilisi, where he was warmly welcomed by the rector, Archpriest Bidzina Guniya. Members of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church worshiped the tombs of St. Zinovy, in the schema of Seraphim, Metropolitan of Tetratskara, and his disciple, Archimandrite Vitaly (Sidorenko).
In the building of the Georgian Patriarchate, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk was received by the Primate of the Georgian Orthodox Church, His Holiness and Beatitude Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Shio III.
The Russian Orthodox Church was also represented by Archpriest Nikolai Balashov and Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, Archpriest Vladimir Alexandrov and DECR Chairman's Secretary Priest Nikolai Vasin. The participants from the Georgian Orthodox Church were Metropolitan Theodore of Akhaltsikhe and Tao-Klarjeti, Metropolitan Gerasim of Zugdidi and Tsaishi, Metropolitan Andrey of Gori and Aten, Bishop Vakhtang of Nikortsminda, Protopresbyter Georgy Zviadadze, Archpriest Mikhail Botkoveli and Archpriest Andrey Dzhagmaidze, employees of the Georgian Patriarchate.
Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk conveyed to the Primate of the Georgian Orthodox Church fraternal greetings and well wishes from His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia. For his part, His Holiness Patriarch Shio thanked the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church for coming, noting the importance of the visit for strengthening inter-church relations. During the conversation, issues of fraternal cooperation between the two Churches, as well as topics of pan-Orthodox significance, were discussed. At the end of the meeting, an exchange of gifts took place.