Your Holiness, distinguished members of Synod, esteemed bishops,
I would like to congratulate everything on the blessing of this cathedral.
This handcrafted miracle, built by the great King Bagrat, is the most symbolic expression of the idea of Georgia’s unity.
I would like to thank His Holiness for his initiative to restore this great cathedral, as well as for all the cathedrals, which, Your Holiness, have been built with your blessings, your direct leadership during past years in Georgia.
Certainly, I cannot count all of them, but the Sameba (Trinity) Cathedral, the restored Bagrati, the magnificent Poti Cathedral, which will be blessed in few days and which has been returned to our church through the blessing of His Holiness, hundreds of other restored cathedrals, the fully redesigned and excellently renovated Mtskheta, the Svetitskhoveli surroundings and the Svetitskhoveli itself, the Dariali Cathedral and its entire monastery complex, the Motsameta Church, the restored Gelati Academy, the St. George Cathedral in Akhaltsikhe and others, it is a period of great restoration not only of cathedrals as buildings, but as educational centers and as places of populous preaching, of inciting patriotism and national spirit – something that depicted the activities of His Holiness throughout these decades.
His activities are indeed an excellent expression of Georgian national spirituality.
I have said many times that we had Ilia Chavchavadze and we have Ilia the Second, who has managed to incite and restore the national spirit.
Likewise, I would like to welcome all bishops, including the Bishop Kalistrate, who has not spared strength and energy for doing all of this.
I would like to thank all the construction workers, who tirelessly worked days and nights.
I was raised with this idea and I have a personal story related to this – my great grandfather was Nikoloz Tsereteli, whose father Archimandrite Joseph Tsereteli served many years, including in Kutaisi. I remember from childhood, my grandpa would often say that the biggest dream of his father had been the restoration of the Bagrati Cathedral.
It was the dream of Imeretians, Kutaisians, of whole generations of Georgians in general, and we were no exception in this regard.
His Holiness rightly called it – it is a miracle and it indeed is a dream come true, the realization of everyone’s wish.
Lots of Kutaisians have come here today.
There are also representatives of all political parties here and I would like to tell them: we might have different views, including about politics, the economy, but hopefully, the main things do not differentiate us – we should never surrender Georgia to the enemy and no matter what kind of personal ambition that we have, we should not succumb our country to it.
We are different in many respects, but this is a symbol of unity and the main thing should not differentiate us – we will not exchange out country for anything, we will never put our personal interests above the common interest of people; we will all follow that great road, which is called strengthening and unitfying Georgia.
Even in that epoch that this cathedral was built, the unification of Georgia had started from the west.
The unification and spiritual revival of Georgia had also begun, when 9 years ago a huge a convoy from Samegrelo had departed for Tbilisi.
It is a stage in the unification of Georgia, when the Parliament, the government’s house is built in Kutaisi. There is an institutional political center being created in Kutaisi.
Of course, with all of this, the role of Tbilisi is only being strengthened, as Tbilisi is strong as ever and the all of Georgia is tied to the capital.
All of this is aimed at establishing Georgia as one whole organism.
It is also a symbol of our occupied territories returning to Georgia, if there is anything that symbolizes Abkhazia’s presence in Georgia, it certainly is this cathedral.
This cathedral is the crown of this idea and neither government, nor political parties can realize this idea – fulfillment of this idea requires many generations of Georgians, which King Leon, King Bagrat had started before, and King David the Builder had finished. It took centuries then and if we all stand together united as we now stand in this cathedral, as we now pray next to each other’s shoulder and celebrate the restoration of this cathedral, we will restore a united and strong Georgia. I am deeply convinced in this.
The strength is in unity!
I thank you once again Your Holiness for the immense national and historical deed, which you have contributed in the realization of all of this.