Your Beatitude and Holiness Archbishop of Metscheta and Tiphlis, Catholicos and Patriarch of all Georgia, most beloved brother in Christ and co-celebrant, Elias,

Your Excellencies,

Beloved children of the Church of Christ,

It is with feelings of great joy that we have disembarked here on the dry land of this beautiful city of Vatum in our beloved country of Georgia, with which we are connected by with very old and fraternal bonds.  The tradition is a lively and continuous one, and there is much historical information concerning the friendly relations between the Church of Constantinople and the Church of Georgia, from the epoch of Constantine the Great who, at the request of King Mirian of Georgia, sent priests and builders into your country, as well as a fragment of the Precious Cross and a nail used in the crucifixion of our Lord.

These were great and special blessings of our Lord Jesus Christ to your much-struggling and long-suffering people.  These blessings were for the strengthening of your faith in Him, that you might preserve His seamlessly woven garment, which covers this land and your people like a protecting veil and preserves you in the only saving Orthodox faith.

We bless the Lord, because He has granted us who live afar to come to venerate this day the sacred treasures of our faith, as we make land here by their blessings in the hallowed land of Georgia.

We give thanks also to all of you, for your words and deeds offered so kindly in welcoming to our Modesty and those who have traveled with us and are studying with us the problem of the preservation of the environs and the coastlines of your Black Sea from impending biological demise, as a result of intense pollution.  Our main interest is not the Sea in itself, but those who live in the surrounding regions, and in many cases our own brothers and sisters, who are in danger of losing the one serious source of their income and livelihood.  The solidarity of the human family compels each one of us to do, as much as we are able, whatever we can to save the Black Sea as a biotope.  We have undertaken this circumnavigation of the Black Sea with select scientists, who are sailing with us so that they might sensitize all people to be vigilant in our conscience and active in facing this problem.

We address all of you with heartfelt salutation and gratitude, and bestow upon you our complete and whole-hearted paternal and Patriarchal blessing and benediction.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, through the prayers of His Saints: Nina the Equal to the Apostles, Sousaniki the Queen and Martyr, Kastevan the Queen and Great-Martyr, John Zentazniskou the Righteous and all of His Saints, be with you all.  Amen.