“Our nation is precisely the nation that was illuminated by the true light of Christ through the labor and devotion of many saints… They established and strengthened the Christian faith in the consciousness and historical memory of our people and passed it down to us, which has ensured our survival to this day,” said the Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne, Metropolitan of Senaki and Chkhorotsku, Shio (Mujiri), during his sermon on the commemoration day of the Holy and All-Praised Apostle Andrew the First-Called, the first preacher of Christ in Georgia, and the Holy Great King Vakhtang Gorgasali.

According to him, today’s trials are very small compared to what the Georgian nation has endured throughout history, over centuries.

“Dear fathers, brothers, and sisters, I congratulate you on today’s feast — the commemoration of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called and the Holy Pious King Vakhtang Gorgasali. I convey to you the prayerful blessing of His Holiness and Beatitude, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II.

The Holy Apostle Andrew and King Vakhtang Gorgasali are special saints for us, because Apostle Andrew was the first to preach Christianity in Georgia, and through the labors of the Holy King Vakhtang Gorgasali our Church received autocephaly and the first Catholicos, Peter, was ordained — whose commemoration we also celebrate today. This is why our Church is called Apostolic, because the Holy Apostle Andrew preached here, together with other apostles.

The Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called was one of the closest disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. At the most important moments of the New Testament, as we see in the Gospel, Apostle Andrew and his brother Peter, as well as Apostles James and John, stand beside the Savior. These four apostles are in some way distinguished more than the other twelve in the Holy Gospel.

The Holy Apostle Andrew was entrusted with a special mission. As you know, he preached in many countries — in Greece, in the lands of Asia Minor — and then came to Georgia, entering from Adjara and preaching in many regions of the country. He ordained priests and deacons, built and organized churches, and established the order of worship. Therefore, this great apostle, who was also a great martyr, is a special patron of our nation.

It is not by chance that our nation has endured so many trials, suffering, persecution, and oppression throughout history. There is no other country where so many people were martyred simultaneously as in Georgia. This is a sign from God that the Lord calls us to faithfulness to Him — to remain faithful to Him and to His Church even unto death, and, if necessary, to repeat the spiritual feat of our great ancestors; and in times of peace, to endure our trials with patience and humility. For this, spiritual strength and the ability of discernment are necessary. One of the greatest virtues is discernment. Therefore, today we must especially remember the labors of the Holy Apostle Andrew and pray to him to help us acquire these qualities.

May the Lord protect our people through his prayers and grant us understanding, dear brothers and sisters, that today’s trials are very small compared to what our nation endured throughout history over the centuries, and that our sorrows are very small compared to the sorrows borne and endured by the martyrs and confessors.

May the Lord protect our country through the prayers of Andrew the First-Called and help us.

Our nation is indeed the one illuminated by the true light of Christ through the labor and devotion of many saints — beginning with the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, Simon the Canaanite, and Matthias. They were martyrs, confessors, kings, queens, patriarchs, and other clergy and laypeople who established and strengthened the Christian faith in the consciousness and historical memory of our people and passed it down to us, ensuring our survival to this day.

I wish, together with you, to warmly congratulate His Holiness and Beatitude, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II, on this day. He is today the continuer of the Apostolic mission of Andrew the First-Called. We all see that his great ministry is truly apostolic, and the fruits of his service are apostolic. Today we thank him with filial love and congratulate him. May the Lord grant him health and long life.

Dear brothers and sisters, I would like to remind you that today marks the fortieth day since the passing of Metropolitan Seraphim. Today we pray especially for his soul, that God may forgive all his sins and grant him a place in the Heavenly Kingdom.

Once again, I congratulate you on today’s feast. May God, through the intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos, the prayers of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called, the Holy King Vakhtang Gorgasali, and Saint Peter the Catholicos, strengthen, unite, and save Georgia. Amen. God is with us!”