March 31, 2003
Georgian president vows to fight religious persecution
___TBILISI, Georgia--After months of reported persecution of Baptists and other Christian groups in the Republic of Georgia, President Eduard Shevardnadze made a highly symbolic appearance at an ecumenical worship service held at a Baptist church.
___Shevardnadze attended the March 14 service at Cathedral Baptist Church in Tbilisi. The service also was attended by ambassadors from the United States, Britain, Germany, Greece, France, Israel, Romania and the Vatican.
___News of the service was reported via e-mail by Malkhaz Songulashvili of the nation's Baptist union.
___Evangelical Protestant and Catholic churches reportedly have been attacked by Orthodox agitators, mainly led by an influential defrocked Orthodox priest. Persecuted Christians have complained that their government has not done enough to protect their religious freedom.
___A previous attempt to hold the ecumenical worship service Jan. 24 was disrupted by religious extremists. With increased security, the service proceeded March 14.
___"Almost half the sanctuary was full of cameras and journalists," Songulashvili reported. "Hundreds of people were not able to come closer to the Cathedral church."
___Religious leaders met Shevardnadze in front of the church, then heard him address the congregation inside in an unscheduled message.
___The president expressed "love, concern and personal support to all Christians ... of Georgia."
___Although he is an Orthodox Christian, Shevardnadze said, "we have to recognize and at the same time protect our common faith and common citizenship." He urged the assembly to pray for peace and declared it is "the will of Christ" that the nation's religions live peaceably together.
___"I cannot help expressing the great sorrow of mine and even anger about the fact that our unity, mutual respect, liberty of faith have been violated by some aggressors," he said.
___He then added: "I also promise you that the government and the president will do their best in order to safeguard full freedom for the individual to express his or her faith. Anyone who violates this principle will be made responsible by the state. I would like you to believe--the aggressor will be punished."
___Afterward, members of Cathedral Baptist Church presented Shevardnadze with an icon of Jesus as Prince of Peace entering Jerusalem.
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