The Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Shio III, said that a family “cannot build happiness” if it is founded on what he described as a “serious sin,” such as abortion, while also warning about Georgia’s demographic challenges.
Addressing the faithful gathered at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi, the Patriarch said that abortion prevents families from building a happy future.
“If a serious sin is present in the family, such as abortion, then a family cannot build any happiness on such a foundation. Such a family is doomed, because as we know from the Bible, ‘the blood of the slain cries out to God for vengeance,’” Shio III said.
At the same time, the Patriarch emphasized the importance of larger families, saying that households where children are born “once every two or three years” are filled with happiness.
“On the contrary, where a child is born once every two or three years, there is happiness, because through its existence it warms and brightens everything around it,” he said.
Shio III also spoke about the challenges of raising larger families, arguing that difficulties are greater up to the birth of a third child but become easier to manage afterwards.
“As we know from large families, at first it is more difficult — up to the third child — and afterwards the difficulties significantly decrease, and it becomes much easier to manage a large family,” the Patriarch stated.
The Patriarch also addressed Georgia’s demographic situation, warning of potential consequences if birth rates decline and family structures weaken.
“If we do not improve our demographic situation, if we do not work to strengthen, save, and preserve the family, we face a real danger that other peoples will settle in our paradise-like beautiful country — people who love children, who do not avoid having children, and who protect their religion,” he told the faithful gathered at the Holy Trinity Cathedral.
Image source: mpn.ge
