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Head of Abkhaz Diocese asks for help in restoring Abkhaz Orthodox Church

Sukhumi, November 17, Interfax - The head of the Sukhumi-Abkhaz Diocese Priest Vissarion Aplia sent a letter to Catholicos-Patriarch of all Georgia Ilia II and the Georgian Synod, notifying them of the "restoration" of the canonical Church in Abkhazia.

"At an extraordinary session of the diocesan assembly of the Sukhumi-Abkhaz Diocese on September 15, 2009 the clergy and monks unanimously decided to begin the canonical restoration of the Abkhaz Orthodox Church, the Pitsunda Catholicate. The newly formed diocese is now styled as the diocese of Pitsunda and Sukhumi," the letter said.

The diocesan assembly of the Abkhaz Orthodox Church decided to send its first message to the Georgian Church leader and Synod, Father Vissarion said.

"Noting our common and fraternal ecclesiastical history, we hereby notify you of a joyous event. Nothing could be more joyous for the Catholicate of Mtskheta than the fact that it now has a sister church, the Abkhaz Orthodox Church of the Catholicate of Pitsunda," the letter said.

The Abkhaz Orthodox Church "is not withdrawing from any Orthodox jurisdiction whatsoever, nor is it entering a new one," the letter said. "We are living in our home country and ask for support in restoring the canonical structure of our Church in Abkhazia," the priest said.

The head of the Sukhumi Diocese also sent a letter to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill and the Holy Synod of the Russian Church, stating that the Orthodox diocese in Abkhazia has had no governing bishop for the past 15 years, while archpriest of the Sukhumi-Abkhaz diocese of the Georgian Church Metropolitan Daniil (Datuashvili) "has paid no attention to the flock in the Republic of Abkhazia" throughout the post-war years.

The Abkhaz clergy has referred to the Patriarch of all Russia and the Holy Synod "with a prayerful request for help in the cause of restoring the lost canonical status of the Abkhaz Orthodox Church."

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