Prayer processions on Family Purity Day held in Georgia

A religious procession in Tbilisi on Family Purity Day. Photo: UOJ in Georgia

In Georgia on May 17, prayer processions were held on the occasion of Day of Family Purity and Respect for Parents in ten cities of the country, reports the UOJ in Georgia.

This year's celebration was the first to be held under the prayer leadership of the newly elected Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III of All Georgia. The main procession in Tbilisi began from the Church of Saint George Kashveti and headed to the Holy Trinity Cathedral. Archpriest Nikoloz Tatuashvili noted that "today is important for our country."

Besides the capital, processions took place in Rustavi – at the city hall building, in Kutaisi – at the Church of David the Builder, in Batumi – at the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Most Holy Theotokos, in Gori – at the Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos, as well as in Zugdidi, Akhaltsikhe, Telavi, Mtskheta, and Ozurgeti.

As the UOJ reported, participants in a rally against LGBT propaganda held in Tbilisi  tore up a rainbow flag. Day of Family Purity in Georgia is observed annually on May 17 – on the same day as the International Day Against Homophobia. The Georgian Orthodox Church (GOC) invariably organizes prayer services and processions on this date in support of traditional family values.

Read also