On Wednesday, the Chairman of the Parliament of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, visited Saint Anthimos Monastery in Bucharest. His Grace Varlaam of Ploiesti, Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch, welcomed the Georgian delegation at the monastery.
The Georgian official laid a Georgian flag floral wreath at the statue of Saint Anthimos the Iberian (or Georgian) built in front of the gates of the monastery.
The monastic settlement founded by St Anthimos was built on the site of a wooden church and was consecrated in 1715. Saint Anthimos himself designed the stone iconostasis, the icon of Saints Alexius, Nicholas, Anthimos and Agatha, as well as the massive oak door at the entrance of the church.
The Chairman of the Georgian Parliament visited the church of the monastery and venerated the holy relics sheltered in the church.
The Georgian delegation also visited the monastery’s museum and the Library of the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church. The Library Director, Archimandrite Policarp Chiţulescu, made a brief presentation of the most important manuscripts, books and items that are kept in the Holy Synod Library collections.
In his speech, Irakli Kobakhidze stressed the outstanding personality of Saint Anthimos the Iberian noting that he played an important role in strengthening the ties between Georgians and Romanians 300 years ago.
Kobakhidze said that Saint Anthimos is very well known and valued in Georgia, adding that his efforts to strengthen the ties between the two nations force us to expand these relations today.
The Georgian Parliament Speaker offered thanks to the Romanian Orthodox Church, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel and His Grace Bishop Varlaam.
At the end of the visit, Bp. Varlaam presented Speaker Kobakhidze with an icon of Saint Anthimos the Iberian and other gifts on behalf of Patriarch Daniel.
Photography courtesy of Robert Nicolae/Basilica.ro
