March 21, 2003
by Eleanor P. Lundy
American Baptist International Ministries

VALLEY FORGE, Pa.- Hundreds of worshipers thronged the Cathedral Baptist Church in Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia on March 14 for an ecumenical service, undaunted by a previous mob attack staged by religious extremists. The president of Georgia, Eduard Shevardnadze, attended the service along with numerous Christian and state dignitaries from across Europe.

Unprecedented security measures were in effect surrounding the Cathedral Baptist Church (formerly named Central Baptist Church). Some 600 policemen, along with snipers from the presidential guard stationed on the roofs of surrounding buildings, protected the entire area. Loudspeakers carried the service to crowds outside the church, which was filled to overflowing.

Bishops and leaders of the Georgian Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Roman Catholic, Evangelical Lutheran and Evangelical Baptist churches greeted Shevardnadze and then entered the church in solemn procession. Among many distinguished guests were ambassadors, university professors, and representatives from governmental and private organizations in the United States, Great Britain, Germany, Greece, France, Italy, Israel and Romania, as well as the European Union, the Vatican and the Council of Europe.

Highlights of the worship service were remarks by Shevardnadze and French Ambassador Mireille Musso, as well as liturgical dance and singing by a combined choir of Catholics and Baptists. A letter was read from the Rev. Dr. Konrad Raiser, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, expressing support for the inter-church gathering and denouncing criminal acts of intolerance against minority churches in Georgia. At the end of service Shevardnadze received an icon representing Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, entering Jerusalem as a gift from the church. "This was a grand and unforgettable occasion," said the Rev. Malkhaz Songulashvili, pastor of Cathedral Baptist Church and president of the Georgian Baptist Union.

A mob led by defrocked ultrafundamentalist Orthodox priest Basil Mkalavishvili had disrupted a previous attempt to hold such a service, on Jan. 24. Windows were smashed and some of those gathering for worship were beaten and robbed in the attack.

"We believe the Presidential visit to the Cathedral Baptist Church is a milestone in the development of the religious life of Georgia," said Pastor Songulashvili, who reiterated his determination to fight for religious liberty and remain faithful to ecumenical commitments. He expressed thanks to International Ministries and other partners for their prayers and support in this struggle. "This worship service at the Cathedral Baptist Church was a victory which is particularly encouraging in this Lenten period," he said.

The Rev. Dr. Reid S. Trulson, American Baptist International Ministries area director for Europe and the Middle East, noted that the struggle for religious liberty has yet to be won in many parts of Europe. "The Baptists of Georgia are exercising great courage and wisdom as they work for equal treatment under the law for people of all faiths," he said. "This is at its heart a spiritual struggle. I urge American Baptists to hold them up in prayer."

American Baptist News Service