Georgian patriarch says surrogate children 'problematic'
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 7 January 2014 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Georgian patriarch says surrogate children 'problematic', 7 January 2014, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/52e65ad914.html [accessed 29 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
January 07, 2014
By RFE/RL's Georgian Service
Georgia's Orthodox Patriarch Ilia II leads a midnight Christmas service at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi on January 7.
TBILISI – In his Christmas address to the nation, Georgia's Orthodox Patriarch Ilia II said that children born by surrogate mothers or through artificial insemination will be "problematic" in their adulthood.
He also said that families with such children cannot be happy.
The patriarch's address was read by Archdeacon Demetre Davitashvili on January 7.
Ilia also said that the European Union should understand and respect Georgia's traditions and mentality.
The patriarch said that Georgia, as a Christian nation, has always been part of European culture and traditions.
However, he said the line between what Christians consider good and evil has been vanishing in the modern world.
In his address, Ilia hailed a statement made last month by EU ambassador Filip Dimitrov in which he said that legalizing same-sex marriages would not be a condition for Georgia joining the EU in future.
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
