Sukhum/Agency Caucasus – The Orthodox Church of Georgia now joins the conflict between Abkhazia and Georgia after Abkhazia tries harder to get international recognition in response to a promise by Mikheil Saakashvili, ardently nationalist President of Georgia, to resume its control over Abkhazia.
The Orthodox Church of Georgia assigned Pimen (Roman Kardava), Georgian Priest in Abkhazia, with a task to do in Gal, a region of Abkhazia where mostly Georgians live.
However, the Episcopate of Abkhazia rejected Pimen’s demand for service. Pimen, who is enrolled at the cathedral of Tbilisi, applied to the government of Abkhazia for permission to work in Gal, the Abkhazian Episcopate told reporters. "The Georgian Orthodox Church member began to work without our permission. Moreover, he indoctrinated the Gal residents with nationalist news," said Peder Vissarion, Head of the Abkhazian Episcopate.
"Kardav himself is from Gal; however, this does not mean that he work there as a priest," said Vissariona, and added that Abkhazia had enough priests of its own to employ in Gal. ÖZ/FT
