The Georgian Patriarchate responded harshly to the Russian Orthodox Church's gross infringement of its canonical territory.
Metropolitan Garasim (Sharashenidze), Chairman of the Department of External Relations of the Patriarchate of Georgia, sent a letter to Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev of Volokolamsk and Archbishop Leonid of Vladikavkaz and Alan, Chairman of the DECR of the MP.
This is reported by Cerkvarium that cited Wenews.ge.
The GPC's indignation is related to the fact that the priest of the Vladikavkaz and Alan dioceses of the Russian Orthodox church Sergey (Kokoev) performed the Nativity service in the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tskhinvali.
The GOC points out that it is unacceptable for the clergy of other Orthodox Churches to conduct any divine service without the permission of the Georgian Orthodox Church. They hope that the Russian Orthodox Church "will impose strict sanctions on the clergy who committed this illegal act and that this will not happen again."
Earlier, the Russian Orthodox Church did not allow itself such aggressive actions against the canonical integrity of the Russian Orthodox Church outside the Russian military base in Tskhinvali. However, in 2016, it began building its own church in the center of Tskhinvali under the auspices of the foundation for the revival of orthodoxy and the foundation of St. Andrew the First-Called.