A meeting between Metropolitan Shio (Mujiri), Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne of the Georgian Orthodox Church, and Archbishop Leo (Valgren), Head of the Orthodox Church of Finland, took place on Tuesday at the Patriarchate of Georgia.

According to the Georgian Church’s press service, the encounter was held in a warm and friendly atmosphere. The Georgian delegation included Archpriest Michael Botkoveli, Secretary to the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archpriest Archil Khachidze, Deputy Head of the Department of External Church Relations, and other clergy members.

During the meeting, the sides discussed the role of the Orthodox Church in the life of society in both Georgia and Finland, as well as the challenges faced by believers in the modern world. Participants emphasized the need to preserve spiritual and moral values amid growing secularization, where religion is increasingly viewed as a cultural tradition rather than a foundation of daily life.

Topics of discussion also included the Church’s involvement in social and cultural affairs, interfaith dialogue, and the preservation of Christian identity in the context of globalization.

The meeting was described as introductory in nature. Both sides underscored the importance of open dialogue and cooperation to ensure that the Orthodox witness remains vibrant and accessible to contemporary people.

The Orthodox Church of Finland is an autonomous church under the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. Though it represents only about 1% of Finland’s population, it enjoys official recognition as one of the country’s two national churches, alongside the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

By contrast, the Georgian Orthodox Church is one of the world’s most ancient autocephalous churches and continues to play a central role in Georgia’s cultural and social life. Observers note that meetings of this kind help strengthen ties between Orthodox churches across national boundaries and foster ongoing inter-Orthodox dialogue.