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King-Kong Is Back!

December 23, 2009

Editor’s opinion                                                                               Aleko Tskitishvili

Vasil Mkalavlishvili, excommunicated clergyman from Orthodox Church of Georgia, has returned to the arena of violence. On December 22, news programs reported that self-proclaimed clergyman cannot be improved by the imposed and served punishment. Now, it is time for him to regret but only a human being can regret, while the monster like Mkalavlishvili does not recognize similar feelings.

Monster can turn into a human being only in fairy tales and Hollywood blockbusters. I personally remembered King-Kong having heard this information – King-Kong looks more generous than Mkalavlishvili in the movie King-Kong Is Back.

Almost 15 years have passed since Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Georgia excommunicated Vasil Mkalavlishvili clergyman of Gldani Eparchy for having physically assaulted other clergymen and various mistakes. Corresponding resolution of the Holy Synod lists many mistakes made by Mkalavlishvili and it is still in force. After excommunication from the Orthodox Church of Georgia all religious rituals conducted by Mkalavlishvili were annulled by the Holy Synod. Neither the people, scolded by him, should be afraid (by the way I am one of those people who were scolded by Mkalavlishvili together with my colleagues who condemned his activities).

Having been excommunicated from the church, the self-proclaimed clergyman turned into a dangerous criminal who attacked various religious minorities and caused serious damage not only for the Georgian state but for Orthodox Church too. Foreign experts and media did not always have correct information that Mkalavlishvili was excommunicated from the church. Thus, his violence against Jehovah Witnesses and Baptist Church was equalized with the Orthodox Church and patriarchate. One more serious problem was the fact that for uncertain reasons, Mkalavlishvili’s violence was encouraged by that time MIA and corrupted authority of the Tbilisi police department. He was detained and convicted only after the government was changed.

And here, he – Vasil Mkalavlishvili - the false clergyman appeared again who is going to continue his activities with old naughtiness and hatred.

On December 22, Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Georgia discussed the issue of Vasil Mkalavlishvili at their session. “Holy Synod learned petitions of Basil Mkalavlishvili and Vakhtang Margiani and decided to send them to Bagdati and Vani Eparchy for regretting,” stated the information of the Patriarchate.

In reply to this statement, Mkalavlishvili said in his interview to Rustavi 2 that he had not petitioned to Holy Synod and learned about it from TV.

He said on December 22, he was called from the Patriarchate and asked him to participate in the meeting of Holy Synod. However, he did not know what they were going to discuss at the meeting.

“I have nothing to regret. I will not leave the church which I have built; it was built by the money collected of the parish. The Patriarchate is doing what the government and Liberty Institute failed to do. It is shameful for Georgian people. I served four years and half in prison for orthodox religion and the patriarchate and the patriarch cannot appreciate my deed. I repeat once more, I have nothing to regret and will never regret,” said Mkalavlishvili.

The Patriarchate had to justify its behavior after Mkalavlishvili made similar statement. The Interpressnews was reported by the Patriarchate that Vasil Mkalavlishvili petitioned to them one month ago. He wrote in the petition that he was sorry for his behavior and urged the Patriarch as well as Holy Synod to discuss his petition at the meeting. “Holy Synod made decision and prepared suggestion for Mkalavlishvili. If he accepts our suggestion, it is his personal decision,” clarified the representative of the patriarchate.

It is not excluded that Mkalavlishvili’s odious group might join similar violent groups and old problems will emerge again.

Be careful – King Kong Is Back!

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