Georgian Patriarch asks Europe not to impose alien ideas on nation

Just as in Russia, Greece, Serbia and other Orthodox countries, the Church faces increasing demands and pressures from militant secularists, democrats and homosexuals on one side, and militant Islam on the other. We live in an age of extremists, where healthy and true, traditional Christianity is pinned in a vise grip between competing totalitarian ideologies. This calls for the patient endurance and faith of the saints!

AXIOS to Patriarch Ilia for boldly rebuking the pressures from Europe in his Nativity Message.

Georgian Patriarch asks Europe not to impose alien ideas on nation

Interfax via Pravmir — 1/7/2014

Tbilisi, January 7, Interfax – Patriarch Ilia II of All Georgia has urged the European Union to take into account Georgia’s determination to adhere to it traditional values.

“The European Union should take into account our traditional views and not impose the ideals of same-sex “marriages” and same-sex “families” that are alien to us here,” his Christmas message circulated in St. Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi last night says.

Several thousand worshippers gathered there, including almost the entire Georgian Cabinet led by Prime Minister Irakly Garibashvili.

The patriarch welcomed the announcement by head of the EU Delegation to Georgia, ambassador Philip Dimitrov that the EU does not condition Georgia’s integration by the recognition of same-sex “marriages”.

“This is a good announcement because given the preservation of the traditional ideas of residents of Georgia about marriage this will make the aspiration of this country to Europe deeper,” he said.

The patriarch was dissatisfied with the fact that the actions and views of sexual minorities are declared democratic aspirations while the stance of the Church is sharply criticized.

He also spoke for banning abortions and surrogate motherhood in Georgia.