Relics of Saint Jospeh the Hesychast gifted to the world’s first Church named in his honour

On July 22, 2020, the first parish church in the world dedicated to the great Athonite elder St. Joseph the Hesychast was consecrated in Tbilisi, Georgia.

The church is located within the complex of the Church of the Exaltation of the Precious Cross in the Saburalo section of the Georgian capital. The rector, Archpriest Theodore Gignadze, is known for his inspired sermons that encourage people to practice the Jesus Prayer in their daily lives, thus it is no surprise that his parish would dedicate a church to St. Joseph.

And recently, the parish received a piece of the relics of their patron saint, gifted them by Abbot Ephraim of Vatopedi Monastery, a spiritual grandchild of St. Joseph.

The Orthodoxia News Agency published a video showing the joyous reception of the relics:

Source: orthodoxianewsagency.gr