2 – 4 October 2026. Tbilisi, Georgia. Participation in commemorative events marking the 1,700th anniversary of Christianity in Georgia. Presentation of the volume on the Churches of Hagia Sophia around the world.

A delegation from the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy (IAO), led by Secretary General Dr. Maximos Charakopoulos and President of the IAO General Assembly Mr. Ioan Vulpescu, participated in events commemorating the 1,700th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity as the official religion of Georgia. The IAO delegation also included Members of Parliaments Irakli Kadagishvili (Georgia), Tsovinar Vardanyan (Armenia), Toma Bykov (Bulgaria), Mile Talevski (North Macedonia), Ljubica Miljanović (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and Panikos Leonidou (Cyprus), as well as the IAO Advisor Dr. Kostas Mygdalis.

One-Day Conference on Christian values in Europe

In the context of the commemorative events, the IAO and the Parliament of Georgia co-organized a conference titled “Civilizational Foundations of Europe and 1700 Years of Christianity in Georgia”. Addresses were also delivered at the conference by the Patriarch of All Georgia, Shio III; the President of Georgia, Mikheil Kavelashvili; the Prime Minister, Irakli Kobakhidze; and the Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Shalva Papuashvili. The conference’s two sessions were dedicated to “Christian values in Europe in times of crisis: the approach of Article 17 of the Lisbon Treaty and the contribution of Orthodoxy” and “Christian Values in the Lawmaking Process: Family and Traditional Values”. Presentations were given by, among others, the IAO Secretary General, the President of the IAO General Assembly, IAO member MPs Panikos Leonidou and Tsovinar Vardanyan, as well as representatives from the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) and the Together for Europe network.

The IAO Secretary General described the Georgian nation’s embrace of Christianity as its official religion as a “pivotal event that indelibly stamped the identity of the Georgian people, their rich culture, and their turbulent history. This encounter between the people of Georgia and the message of the God-Man was also decisive for the entire wider region. For here, in the majestic Caucasus, lie the gateways connecting Asia and Europe via the Black Sea -on this legendary mountain range which, according to ancient myth, united the divine world with the human realm through the demigod Prometheus, who, by fulfilling his mission, changed human civilization forever. I am particularly proud that the bearer of the Christian message to this land was a distant compatriot of mine, Saint Nina, who hailed from the saint-producing soil of Cappadocia in Asia Minor. I therefore regard my presence here today, as head of the IAO, as a fitting tribute to a holy woman who defied every obstacle in those difficult times to proclaim the Word of Truth”.

The IAO Secretary General noted that “since the end of World War II, Europe has achieved an environment of democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights that is the envy of world history—a process that expanded following the end of the Cold War with the accession of most Eastern European and Balkan countries to the EU.

At the same time, however, the European project faces serious challenges regarding its cultural identity. One of these is the attempt to downplay the significance of Christianity as a fundamental pillar of European civilization, and to disregard the Christian principles and values that contributed to Europe’s intellectual and material achievements. Yet, such an approach is opposed by the majority of European citizens.

We must work to restore international legality—while simultaneously respecting the European principles of democracy, human rights, and freedoms that constitute the very essence of the European project—and, at the same time, promote the Christian principles of reconciliation, mutual understanding, cooperation, and peace”.

Presentation of the Volume on Hagia Sophia Churches

On the occasion of the visit of the IAO delegation to Tbilisi, a presentation of the IAO volume “Hagia Sophia: The Churches of the Wisdom of God Around the World” was held at Tbilisi State University.

In his address, Dr. Maximos Charakopoulos highlighted the invaluable heritage of Byzantium and placed particular emphasis on the significance of the Hagia Sophia, condemning its conversion into a mosque. He stated: “Faced with such a blatant distortion of historical truth -and a flagrant violation of universal principles regarding respect for cultural and spiritual heritage- we felt we could not remain silent. Accepting arbitrary actions, lawlessness, and barbarism paves the way for their recurrence and escalation. Thus, this volume serves not only as a vehicle for protest but also as a call to awareness. The presentations we have organized in dozens of capitals and major cities -from Washington to Tashkent, and from Cairo to London- as well as the presentation of the volume to numerous figures from the political, ecclesiastical, and academic spheres, aim to convey the message that no cause is lost unless we abandon it. Injustice cannot and must not prevail over justice; arbitrary action over legality; darkness over light.” In this “campaign for the Good,” we are certain that we will find many allies and like-minded personalities among the Georgian people.”