Ilia II, the Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia, and religious leaders from the Church met foreign diplomats to discuss the anticipated granting of the European Union membership candidate status to the country.

The EU Ambassador to Georgia, Paweł Herczyński, noted at the meeting the bloc’s “family” was “not complete without Georgia”, and the “unique” Christian culture and traditions of the country were “important” both for the state and the “common European space”.

In her comments, the US Ambassador Robin Dunnigan noted her “great love and respect” for the history and culture of Georgia during the meeting, the religious body added.

The diplomats congratulated Ilia II on his 90th birthday and 45th anniversary of consecration, noting the role of the Church and its leader in the development of the country.

In his turn, Ilia II thanked the envoys for their cooperation with Georgia and extended congratulations on the coming Christmas and New Year’s Eve.