Meeting of Holy Synod to be held today

The sitting of the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church will be held on October 31. The Patriarchate announced on Tuesday evening that the decision about the summoning of the sitting was made by Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II.

The Patriarch’s Secretary Michael Botkoveli told reporters that the Holy Synod would decide whether or not the issue of Bishop Iakob should be discussed by the Georgian Church.

Archpriest Michael Botkoveli said Bishop Iakob would attend the meeting of the Holy Synod since his is its member.

Bishop Iakob, former Chorepiscopus of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, told TV Pirveli on October 26 that government officials tried to negotiate with him on the Patriarch’s dismissal. He named the participants of the meeting – then-Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, current Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, and former head of the State Security Service and current Minister of Internal Affairs Vakhtang Gomelauri.

Two days later, Bishop Iakob resigned as the Patriarch’s Chorepiscopus.