Archimandrite Critical of Ruling Party, Senior Clergy Removed from Head Priest Role
Archimandrite Dorote Kurashvili, a cleric known for his open criticism of both the ruling Georgian Dream party and the Georgian Orthodox Church clergy, was removed from his position as head priest by Patriarch Ilia II’s October 29 order, which followed the conclusions of the Mtskheta-Tbilisi diocesan commission that cited “disciplinary violations.”
The Order No. 84, signed by the Patriarch, mandates Kurashvili’s removal from his position as a head priest of Lower Betlemi Savior’s Nativity Church and his assignment as a clergyman of Tbilisi’s Holy Trinity Cathedral.
Shortly before the decision, a diocesan commission composed of senior clergy – including Patriarchal Locum Tenens Shio Mujiri, Patriarchate Spokesperson Andria Jagmaidze, and the Patriarch’s Secretary Mikael Botkoveli – issued a conclusion citing the archimandrite’s repeated failure to appear before the commission, as well as “violations of a disciplinary and moral nature, namely defamatory and other actions inappropriate for a priest.”
“Today, I am being judged by the Russian Church and Bidzina Ivanishvili. This is their order,” Kurashvili told the media while the disciplinary proceedings were still ongoing, referring to the Georgian Dream’s billionaire founder.
Kurashvili has frequently denounced Georgian Dream government policies and what he called “systemic injustice” and repressive measures targeting citizens, including in his sermons and media appearances. The cleric has repeatedly backed ongoing pro-EU, anti-government protests, repeatedly attending daily demonstrations in Tbilisi. He has also accused the church of acting under political pressure.
The archimandrite was first summoned on October 16 but did not attend and received a formal warning. When called again on October 29, he refused to appear unless the session was open to the media. The commission turned down the request, calling such demand “unprecedented and unacceptable.”
Intensifying Controversy
The archimandrite has come under public scrutiny for openly criticizing both the authorities and the clergy, while himself becoming the target of growing criticism from the Church and pro-government media.
On September 27, the opposition-leaning TV Pirveli released what it said was a leaked audio recording of a patriarchate meeting attended by Kurashvili, Botkoveli, Jagmaidze, and others. The recording allegedly captures the clergy criticizing Kurashvili for “morally undermining” the diocese and other priests, claiming he was “setting a measure” by publicly urging fellow clergy to speak out on the country’s political situation.
It also reportedly shows senior clergymen expressing dissatisfaction with the archimandrite’s use of his position to voice political opinions. Botkoveli is allegedly heard questioning whether this aligns “with our duty,” while Jagmaidze chooses to advise against “preaching morals” to other clerics for not similarly speaking up.
In a statement released in October, following the October 16 diocesan commission meeting where Kurashvili did not appear, the commission accused the archimandrite of spreading “slander by claiming that during a meeting held at the Patriarchate on September 16, he had been questioned over his political views.” In response, the archimandrite told journalists: “They are the ones slandering me. The recording was leaked, they deny it, and now they accuse me instead. This is a catastrophe.”
As controversy intensified, GD critics and opposition-minded figures came to openly support the archimandrite, including Salome Zurabishvili, Georgia’s fifth president.
“You can’t escape responsibility, those of you who hide behind the Patriarch’s name and want to put the weight of your decision on him,” Zurabishvili wrote on social media following the October 29 decision, expressing “respect and solidarity” towards Dorote Kurashvili.
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