Regarding the 80^th jubilee and 35^th anniversary of enthronement of the Catholic-Patriarch of All Georgia, the Arch-Bishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi, the Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazia, His Holiness and Beatitude, Ilia II, the Speaker of the Parliament, David Usupashvili and the Prime Minister, Bidzina Ivanishvili met the Arch-Bishop of Constantinople and the New Rome, the World Patriarch, Bartholomew I and the Catholic-Patriarch of Georgia, Ilia II in the State Chancellery.

“It is a great honor for me to be the participant of the celebration of Georgian people. It is impossible to note and estimate the merit of His Holiness in a couple of days. Thus, the State Jubilee Commission has decided to prolong the jubilee days, within the scope of which lots of events will be conducted”, - the Speaker stated. According to him, sundry unique publications are in elaboration process, which will underline importance of Orthodoxy, Christianity for the country and the future thereof.

“Inasmuch as you are the guest of the representatives of the state authorities, I would like to assure you that we have assumed a heavy and respective burden of serving the country after the elections to make our homeland the dignified representative of the European Community. And His Holiness simplifies our heavy routine with his advises and tutorship”, - he stated. “Visit of all of you to Georgia is the greatest event for every single citizen of our country. We are happy to be amongst the orthodox nations, created on the basis of Byzantium culture”, - the Speaker addressed the guests.

The meeting with the state authority was attended by the Leaders of Orthodox Churches of Serbia, Bulgaria, Alexandria, Constantinople, Russia, the Czech Republic.

The Speaker of the Parliament, along with the clergymen, visited the University of St. Andrew before the meeting in the State Chancellery and took part in opening of the cientific conference. He congratulated His Holiness with the jubilee and enthronement and made the welcome speech.