In the statement issued on 29 June of the current year, the Patriarchate of Georgia addressed the organizers of “Tbilisi Pride” and the heads of embassies accredited in Georgia with a call to refrain from supporting LGBTQ+ propaganda activities in order to maintain stability and civil peace in the country.

We hoped that they would not ignore the choice of the vast majority of our society, but the events of recent days have clearly shown the intense pressure which is being exerted on the country.

The drastic interference of certain embassies and some of the members of the European Parliament in our public and spiritual life is a matter of severe concern and unacceptable for our Church and our citizens, and we believe that it is an abuse of their authority.

Furthermore, we declare once again that the goal of the so-called “Pride” is to propagate a perverted lifestyle that damages the consciousness of the young generation and the generations to come.

This action causes tension and unrest among our people, regardless of their nationality or religion, and the responsibility for all this lies with the organizers and supporters of these activities.

We address our population with a call not to follow deliberate provocations, and in order that peaceful protest of people is not transformed into violent confrontation let us gather at Kashveti Church of St. George on 5 July, at 5pm, to hold a prayer service to the Most Holy Virgin and show the world that we are defending our dignity and that any attempt to degenerate our people is utterly unacceptable to us.