Georgian PM visits St Anthimos Monastery in Bucharest

Basilica News Agency – May 2017

The Prime Minister of Georgia, Giorgi Kvirikashvili, has visited Thursday Saint Anthimos Monastery in Bucharest. Being founded by a Saint of Georgian origin, Anthimos the Ivirite, this monastery was built during 1713-1715 on the site of an old wooden church dedicated to St Nicholas.

His Grace Varlaam of Ploiești, Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch, welcomed the Georgian delegation led by PM Kvirikashvili. Also present were the abbot of St Anthimos Monastery, Protosyncellus Vicențiu Oboroceanu, and the V. Rev. Archimandrite Policarp Chițulescu, director of the Holy Synod Library.

After briefly presenting the history of the monastery, His Grace Bishop Varlaam spoke about the good ties between the Georgian people and Romanian people. He referred to the year 2016 declared by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church as Commemorative Year of Saint Anthimos the Ivirite.

Our great metropolitan and martyr, St Anthimos the Ivirite, unites our two nations, His Grace said April 27.

We believe that this monastery is a sanctuary that expresses in the fullest way the fraternity existing between the Georgian and the Romanian people, since it is the foundation of a Georgian Saint, and for over three centuries our faithful have found inner peace in this place, Bishop Varlaam said.

Bishop Varlaam presented the Georgian PM an icon depicting Saint Anthimos the Ivirite.

Next, the Georgian officials visited the Library of the Holy Synod.

Last year, a delegation of the Georgian Patriarchate participated in the liturgical and cultural manifestations carried out in Bucharest on the feast of Hieromartyr Saint Anthimos the Ivirite.

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