A person is introduced to love for the homeland first and foremost within the family, at the native hearth. In Georgian folk tradition, a mother’s prayer, a father’s advice, and the memory of ancestors have always been the invisible force that guided a person on the right path. As it was for our ancestors, today we also firmly believe that a morally strong family is the foundation of a strong state, said President of Georgia Mikheil Kavelashvili during his speech at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, where he attended the service dedicated to the Day of Family Purity and Respect for Parents.

According to the President, the family is, above all, a moral school that preserves our unique culture, state consciousness, and national identity.

“Today, on May 17, we are celebrating a special holiday - the Day of Family Purity and Respect for Parents. The family is, first and foremost, a moral school that preserves our unique culture, state consciousness, and national identity. Georgia’s past shows that the fate of national survival was decided not only on the battlefield, but often within the Georgian family, when during times of war our statehood and Church were under pressure, our language, traditions, faith, love of homeland, and the idea of freedom were forged within the family hearth and passed from generation to generation. A person is introduced to love for the homeland first and foremost within the family, at the native hearth. In Georgian folk tradition, a mother’s prayer, a father’s advice, and the memory of ancestors have always been the invisible force that set a person on the right path. As it was for our ancestors, today we also firmly believe that a morally strong family is the foundation of a strong state,” said Mikheil Kavelashvili.

The President also stated that the role of the Mother Church in protecting and preserving this most important value for the country is immense. He highlighted the contribution of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II and noted that it was on his initiative that the Day of Family Purity and Respect for Parents was established.

“The role of our Mother Church in protecting and preserving this most important value is immense. Today, when speaking about family purity, it is impossible not to express deep gratitude for the epochal legacy of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia. It was on his initiative that the Day of Family Purity and Respect for Parents was established. His Holiness assumed the spiritual fatherhood of the nation during one of the most difficult periods for the country. His contribution to supporting demographics is immeasurable. His initiative of baptizing third and subsequent children gave thousands of Georgian families courage and faith. This tradition breathed new life into our demographic future and showed each of us that every new life is the greatest wealth of the country,” said the President.

As Kavelashvili noted, this invaluable spiritual legacy is being continued today by His Holiness and Beatitude Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III.

“This invaluable spiritual legacy is being worthily continued today by His Holiness and Beatitude Catholicos-Patriarch Shio III. Under his leadership, the Church continues to stand firmly in defense of peace, unity, family values, and moral strength. In the face of global challenges in the modern world, it is our duty to protect and strengthen that sacred space where love, loyalty, and intergenerational bonds live. Happy Day of Family Purity! May God bless, multiply, and strengthen every Georgian family. May God strengthen our homeland - Georgia!” said the President.