TBILISI, May 11 (Reuters) - Orthodox Christian bishops in Georgia elected a new patriarch, Shio III, on Monday, in what is a pivotal juncture for the South Caucasus country where the Church plays an influential role in social and political life.
Born Elizbar Mujiri, 57-year-old Shio III was elected overwhelmingly by Georgia's Holy Synod, made up of 39 senior bishops, with 22 votes.
Speaking in Tbilisi's Holy Trinity Cathedral before his election on Monday, Shio III said Georgians faced a "historic event" in their choice of patriarch.
"...with the Lord's help, the Georgian Orthodox Church, which has always been a unifier of the nation, a defender of the true faith, the Georgian language, traditions and historical memory will continue on this path," he was cited by the Interpress news agency as saying.
He will be enthroned at a ceremony on Tuesday in Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia and the headquarters of its Orthodox Church.
Georgia adopted Christianity as its state religion in the early fourth century and Georgians remain deeply religious, with 89% of the population identifying as Orthodox Christians, according to a 2017 study by the Pew Research Center.
Shio's predecessor Ilia II, who died in March aged 93, led the Church for 49 years, overseeing its transformation from an institution repressed under Soviet Communist rule into Georgia's most powerful non-state body.
RUSSIAN INFLUENCE
Critics of Ilia II say that under his leadership the Church came under the sway of the powerful Russian Orthodox Church, which President Vladimir Putin has used to rally support for Moscow's war in Ukraine. Moscow's influence remains a politically sensitive subject in Georgia, which fought and lost a short war against Russia in 2008.
Shio III's election comes amid ongoing street protests against the ruling Georgian Dream party over what its critics cast as its pivot away from a Western path and towards a pro-Russian and authoritarian stance. Last week 10 rally organisers were sentenced to long prison sentences.
The Orthodox Church has broadly refrained from commenting on the political situation. But observers say the Church in the past has influenced Tbilisi's stance on social issues such as abortion and LGBT rights, which Ilia II publicly opposed.
Shio III, who was born in Tbilisi, trained as a cellist before becoming a monk. Like Ilia II, he completed his theological studies at the Moscow Theological Academy. Ilia II in 2017 named him "locum tenens", meaning he would act as temporary patriarch after the incumbent died.
(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Lucy PapachristouEditing by Gareth Jones)
