The special Christmas liturgy was held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi.

Delivering the Christmas Epistle, Georgian Patriarch Ilia II has emphasized a number of issues, including risks coming from increased cases of abuse of the freedom of speech especially on social media in a form of hate speech, disinformation or defamation.

It is said in the Christmas Epistle that “freedom of speech is one of the most important rights of the public, which allows any citizen to express his/her opinion publicly through mass media and social networks that create a sense of personal freedom and create an opportunity to share own opinion with others, but, unfortunately, some people often change the reality and abuse the freedom of speech.”

“Today people do not avert to insult and humiliate others; Falsehood and foul words have become a common occurrence. The gravest form of the lie - conscious lies have become widespread, the slander, which sometimes is masterly obvoluted in the name of truth, that the listeners will initially mislead. Those, who commit it, probably think that they do not physically assault and hurt others. It is a big mistake. The word has an unusual force, both positive and negative. The word can give someone life or be the same as death. Moreover, none of our words disappear, and it will be our incriminating circumstances before God, " reads the Christmas Epistle.