
Abkhazia
Abkhazian Orthodox Church suspends services in bid to retake New Athos Monastery
The conflict stems from an argument over whether the Church should align with the Moscow Patriarchate or seek greater independence.

The conflict stems from an argument over whether the Church should align with the Moscow Patriarchate or seek greater independence.

The Georgian government and Georgian Orthodox Church have declined to oppose or support the Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s independence from their Russian counterpart. The Ukrainian Church’s independence was officially recognised by Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople on 6 January, Orthodox Christmas Eve. Both the government and Georgian Church have faced criticism from some quarters for not supporting their Ukrainian counterparts. In his Sunday sermon, Metropolitan Grigol (Berbichashvil