On 18 December 2025, His Holiness Serbian Patriarch kyr Porfirije solemnly welcomed Mr. Mikheil Kavelashvili, President of Georgia, during his official visit to Serbia, at the Church of Saint Sava in Belgrade.
 
– There is no more joyful moment than when brothers meet, especially when that meeting takes place in a holy place such as the Church of Saint Sava – were the words with which His Holiness the Patriarch greeted President Kavelashvili.
 
Emphasizing that the Church of Saint Sava was built through prayers and the century-long efforts of many people of goodwill, as well as through the efforts of the Serbian state – demonstrating that there is no artificial division or distance between the state and the people, who by their very essence are the Church – the Patriarch noted:
 
– All of this is one and the same, regardless of, at the very least, erroneous analyses and interpretations of the modern and postmodern mind. This is so with us, and it is so with you, because at the foundation of both yours and ours—at our common foundation—stands faith in God, faith in Christ, faith in God’s love for all people, and faith that we are all created to be brothers. This faith was instilled in our people by Saint Sava, and in your people by Saint Nino, who are commemorated on the same day in the Orthodox calendar.
 
Stressing that the Serbian and Georgian peoples share a unique spiritual experience, the Patriarch underlined:
 
– In essence, we are one people of Christ and one Church. The Orthodox faith is what has shaped us all together, and we uphold the same system of values. Regardless of geographical distance, we are brothers and sisters, which means that love is the meaning of our lives. We know who we are and we want to remain who we are, but we fully respect everyone who is different. We see no one as our enemy; rather, we see all as children of God, as our brothers, regardless of how they see us. We will always remain on that path.
 
Patriarch Porfirije also recalled that in recent days he had met with representatives of eight Orthodox Churches and had spoken with bishops from Georgia as well:
 
– We love your Patriarch; we pray to God for him, for all your people, for peace, harmony, and every good among you from the depths of our hearts. We know that you do the same for us. May the Lord bless you in these difficult times, with hope that good will prevail.
 
After touring the covenantal church of the Serbian people, the conversation continued at the Saint Sava House, where the deep spiritual and historical closeness of the Serbian and Georgian peoples, as well as their shared Orthodox tradition, was once again emphasized. The interlocutors underscored the importance of mutual understanding, unity, and cooperation, especially in the contemporary social context marked by numerous global challenges, highlighting the role of the Church and spiritual values in preserving identity and peace among people.
 
Those present at the meeting also included: Mrs. Tamar Bagrationi, spouse of the President of Georgia; Mrs. Tamara Vučić, spouse of the President of Serbia; Mrs. Maka Bochorishvili, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Mr. Irakli Mezurnishvili, Mrs. Irma Zavradashvili, and Mr. Guram Macharashvili, Members of the Parliament of Georgia; Mr. Levan Beridze, Ambassador of Georgia to Belgrade; Mrs. Tatjana Panajotović-Cvetković, Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to Georgia; Mrs. Ketevan Kvinikadze, Chief of Staff to the President of Georgia; Mrs. Barbara Maharadze, Minister-Plenipotentiary and Head of the Office of the Embassy of Georgia in Belgrade; Mrs. Tamar Kolbaia, Head of the Service for International Relations and Protocol in the Office of the President of Georgia; Mrs. Gvantsa Papavadze, Head of the Public Relations Department in the Office of the President of Georgia; and Mr. Luka Ekvaja, Adviser to the President of Georgia.
 
Also attending the meeting were Their Graces t Vicar Bishops kyr Aleksej of Hvosno and kyr Ilarion of Novo Brdo; Archimandrite Nektarije, Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod of Bishops; Protopresbyter Đorđe Stojisavljević, Head of the Office of the Serbian Patriarch; and Protodeacons Dragan Radić and Radomir Vrućinić.