Speaker of Parliament H.E. Shalva Papuashvili, together with President Mikheil Kavelashvili and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, attended the festive liturgy at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi on the occasion of the Day of Family Purity and Respect for Parents.

The service was led by the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazia, His Holiness and Beatitude Shio III.

Shalva Papuashvili congratulated the public on the Day of Family Purity.

“Georgia’s history teaches us one fundamental truth — where the family is strong, society, national identity, and the state itself are also strong. Throughout our centuries-old history, we have endured numerous hardships — wars, invasions, imperial pressure, and attempts to erase our faith, language, and identity. However, the Georgian people managed to preserve themselves, and this was achieved first and foremost by the Georgian family — the family that passed on faith, love, devotion to the homeland, and respect for ancestors from generation to generation”, - he stated.

Papuashvili also emphasized the significance of the 1700th anniversary of Christianity being declared the state religion of Georgia.

“This date is not merely a religious occasion. It represents the foundation of our national identity, culture, and state consciousness. Christianity gave the Georgian people the spiritual axis that, throughout the centuries, united us, strengthened us, and ensured our survival. It was Christian values that shaped the Georgian family model, founded on mutual respect, love, solidarity, and responsibility — a place where future generations are raised and where a child first learns the meaning of homeland, kindness, dignity, labor, and respect for others. Today, as the world faces numerous challenges, it is especially important to protect the values that have brought us this far”, - the Speaker noted.

According to the Speaker, the state is strong when society protects its roots and when family remains the central pillar of society, while tradition and modernity complement rather than oppose one another.

“The Georgian family has always been not merely a social unit, but an institution of national survival. It was the family that preserved the Georgian language, Georgian song, traditions, Christian faith, and national memory. Therefore, it is our duty to pass on to future generations not only an economically strong country, but also a spiritually strong Georgia — a country that knows its history, safeguards its values, and builds its future upon this very foundation. On this day, we remember with special gratitude our Holy Patriarch, Ilia II, who established May 17 as a day dedicated to the unity of the nation and its fundamental values — sanctity, dignity, family, children, love, and unity. I congratulate everyone on the Day of Family Purity. May God protect Georgian families, and may God protect Georgia!”, - Shalva Papuashvili stated.

The first patriarchal liturgy of the newly elected Patriarch was attended by delegations of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, representatives of various Orthodox Churches, members of the diplomatic corps, and invited guests.

At the same time, a traditional prayer procession was held from Kashveti St. George Church to the Holy Trinity Cathedral, attended by members of Parliament, representatives of the executive government, and Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze.

With the blessing of Shio III, public gatherings and processions dedicated to the Day of Family Purity were held in ten cities across Georgia.
May 17 was declared the Day of Family Purity in 2014 with the blessing of Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazia, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II.