Georgian Prime Minister met with Archimandrite Ephraim, Abbot of the Vatopedi Monastery at Mount Athos, and his retinue including Georgian monks from the same monastery.

“Once again, it is an honor to meet you. I welcome you with enormous respect and love. It is always with great joy that I reminisce about our first meeting on Mount Athos. When we first met, I was not Prime Minister. We had a very deep conversation. Every piece of advice that Geronda gave me eventually came true”, - said Irakli Garibashvili.

Archimandrite Ephraim invited the Head of Government to Mount Athos.

“I am happy to meet you again, for the second time, now in the capacity of Prime Minister. You love your homeland. You are a patriot and a good family man with many children. You are a friend of the Church. His Holiness the Patriarch and Metropolitan Shio always express contentment with your persona. Many Georgians come to us. I can say with confidence that today the Vatopedi Monastery is the link between Georgia and Mount Athos. Like I said before, I love Georgians very much. You Georgians have grace, God’s grace, and the grace of baptism in your faces. Firstly, the prayers of His Holiness, and his love, are your strong helpers, and we all want you to keep it up, to maintain balance in the country. Do not forget that is Saint George’s land, that your country is the lot of the Mother of God, and you do remember this, and I thank you for it. I hope that you will protect your traditions in the future. I invite you to Mount Athos once again. It will be nice if you can come now as Prime Minister,” Archimandrite Ephraim said.

Archimandrite Ephraim presented the Prime Minister with an icon of the Mother of God. For his part, Irakli Garibashvili presented Archimandrite Ephraim with an icon of Saint Nino.

The meeting at the Administration of the Government was attended by His Eminence, Metropolitan Gerasime (Sharashenidze) of Zugdidi and Tsaishi.

After the meeting, the Prime Minister hosted a dinner in honor of Archimandrite Ephraim.