Reports emerged in the Georgian media last week that the Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal throne of the Georgian Orthodox Church may have been poisoned. According to InterPressNews, medical analyses showed arsenic in the blood of His Eminence Metropolitan Shio of Senaki and Chkhorotsqu, who was appointed Locum Tenens by His Holiness Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II in November 2017, meaning he would govern the Church in the event of the death of the Patriarch until a new Patriarch is elected.

Archpriest Andria Jagmaidze of the Patriarchal press service later confirmed that heavy metals were found in Met. Shio’s blood, though emphasizing that he could neither confirm nor rule out that he was poisoned, as analyses and an investigation are still underway. As Fr. Andria explained, the story began more than a month ago when the Metropolitan began to feel ill and was advised by his doctor to have blood work done. His Eminence’s drinking water and food was also tested, though nothing suspicious was found. Fr. Andria emphasized that Met. Shio feels fine now. He also pointed out that ever since Met. Shio was chosen as Locum Tenens, “there has been a campaign against him, with slanderous, degrading demonization”

This is the second story involving Georgian Orthodox clergy and poison in recent years. In September 2017, Archpriest George Mamaladze was found guilty of the attempted murder of Pat. Ilia’s secretary. Fr. George was arrested in February of that year with cyanide found in his luggage. (Quelle: www.orthochristian.com, 10. Juli 2023)