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May 28, 2023, on the 7th Sunday after Easter, the day of memory of 318 Holy Fathers of the First Holy Council (325) and St. Stratophilus, Bishop of Pitius (Pitsunda, Abkhazia), one of the Holy Fathers of the named Cathedral, in the church of St. Andrew the Apostle of the New Athos Monastery, the III Church-People’s Assembly of the Holy Metropolis of Abkhazia took place.

The Church-People’s Assembly of the Holy Metropolis of Abkhazia, in accordance with the approved Charter, takes place once every 5 years. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine restrictions, the holding of the III CPA HMA was postponed by decisions of the HMA Council from 2021 to 2022 and from 2022 to 2023.

Participants of the Meeting: according to the preliminary list, 11 members of the Council of HMA, 35 employees of HMA, 119 parishioners of the New Athos Monastery of HMA participated in the Assembly. 2 members of HMA Council, 2 employees of HMA were absent for a good reason. 37 parishioners of the New Athos Monastery were also absent.

At 9:00 am, the Divine Liturgy took place in the cathedral church of St. Panteleimon of the New Athos Monastery. Delegates of the III Church-People’s Assembly participated in the prayer. At 12:00 before the beginning of the ІІІ Church-People’s Assembly, the liturgical Gospels in the Abkhazian language of 1912 and the icon of the Holy Fathers of the 1st Holy Council were taken out of the altar. Then all the participants performed a joint prayer and pronounced the Creed in the Abkhazian language.

The Chairman of the Council of РMA appealed to the participants of the 3rd CPA of HMA with an introductory speech in Abkhaz. Secretary of HMA Council Germain Marchand acquainted the delegates with the Rules of the Assembly, approved by open vote.

The speeches followed by:

1. Archimandrite Dorotheos (Dbar), Chairman of the Council of HMA, with a report on the life and activities of HMA for 2016-2022, including the presentation of the report.
2. Deputy Chairman of the Council of HMA, abbot of the New Athos Monastery Hierodeacon David (Sarsaniya) with a report on the life and activities of the New Athos Monastery of HMA and the Department of Social Service and Charity of the New Athos Monastery of HMA for 2016-2022.

After the reports, the Secretary of HMA Council Germain Marchand announced the lists of current members of HMA Council of the 2nd convocation, and submitted for discussion the extension of their powers for the next 5 years by open vote. The change in the procedure for electing the Chairman and members of the Council of HMA is connected with the decision of the Council of HMA of February 24, 2023 “on the participation in the III Church-People’s Assembly of citizens of the Republic of Abkhazia who regularly practice church life among the flock of HMA.”
Then members of the Council of HMA appealed to the delegates of the 3rd CPA. Temur Dzidzaria, a member of the HMA Council with an advisory vote, in his speech announced his self-withdrawal due to his presence in all convocations of the HMA Council and the need to rejuvenate the composition of the HMA Council. Member of the Council Arda Ashuba, who was absent for a good reason at the 3rd CPA, also announced his self-withdrawal due to employment at his main place of work (as head of the Abkhazian Institute for Humanitarian Research named after D. Gulia ASA).
Hierodeacon David (Sarsaniya) proposed to appoint Varlam Argun and Temur Ladariya, employees of the New Athos Monastery of HMA, as members of the Council of HMA.

Thus, the Secretary of the Council of HMA put to the vote the following list of members of the Council of HMA of the III-rd convocation (2023-2028):

From the clergy:
1. Archimandrite Dorotheos (Dbar) – Chairman of HMA Council.
2. Hierodeacon David (Sarsaniya) – Deputy Chairman of HMA Council.

From the laity:
3. Pandariya Ruslan Vladimirovich (N. Athos).
4. Chalmaz Miron Mikhailovich (N. Athos).
5. Tkhagushev Alkhas Aleksandrovich (Sukhum).
6. Trapsh Omar Tukovich (N. Athos).
7. Yalanchidi Dionis Panaetovich (N. Athos).
8. Argun Akhra Gulikovich (Ochamchira).
9. Argun Varlam Kharitonovich (Eshera Village, Sukhum district, with the right of an advisory vote).
10. Ladaria Temur Shotovich (Eshera Village, Sukhum district, with the right of an advisory vote).

After the debate, by open vote, the updated composition of the Council of HMA of the ІІІ convocation was approved.
The III Church-People’s Assembly was completed by the joint reading of the prayer and the Creed in Abkhaz.
At the end of the 3rd CPA, the delegates and members of the Council were invited to the refectory of the New Athos Monastery for a festive dinner.

Video by John Argun.
New Athos, Republic of Abkhazia
May 28, 2023