Georgia’s European Choice and the Role of the Orthodox Church in Civilizational Transformation: An Analysis of Ilia II’s Public Discourse and Prospects
Keywords:
European integration, Georgia, Ilia II, Orthodox Church, European identity, civilizational choice, Christian values, national identity, democracyAbstract
Introduction: This study aims to examine how Georgia’s European choice is conceptualized in the public discourse of Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, and to assess the role of the Georgian Orthodox Church in the cultural and symbolic legitimation of European integration. Methods: The study employs a qualitative thematic and discourse analysis. It examines several key public statements and epistles delivered by Ilia II between 2014 and 2023 that directly address Georgia’s European choice, integration with the European Union, democracy, national identity, and cultural heritage. The primary sources are analyzed in the context of the existing academic literature on Georgia–EU institutional relations and the role of the Orthodox Church. Results: The analysis identified five major frames in Ilia II’s European discourse: (1) Georgia as a historical part of Christian Europe; (2) European integration combined with the preservation of national and religious identity; (3) European democratic institutions as mechanisms for safeguarding peace and freedom; (4) European integration as a reciprocal relationship in which Georgia not only benefits from Europe but also contributes culturally and spiritually to the European community; and (5) support for major stages of rapprochement with the European Union and their interpretation as confirmation of Georgia’s historical European choice. At the same time, Ilia II’s officially pro-European position should not be equated with a uniform position among all clergy or groups within the Georgian Orthodox Church. Conclusion: In Ilia II’s public discourse, European integration is presented not as the mechanical importation of a Western model, but as the realization of Georgia’s historical and civilizational belonging. A distinctive feature of this discourse is the linking of the European choice with Christian heritage and the preservation of national identity. Such a framing may contribute to the cultural legitimation of European integration among social groups for whom Orthodox Christianity constitutes an important component of national identity.
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