Gerasime Sharashenidze, the Metropolitan bishop of the Zugdidi and Tsaishi municipalities, has sent a letter to Metropolitan of Volokolamsk Hilarion and Archbishop of Vladikavkaz and Alania, Leonid.
The letter says that on Christmas Eve of 7 January 2020, priest Sergey Kokoev performed a church service in the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tskhinvali.
The letter goes on to say that Tskhinvali falls within the jurisdiction of Tskhinvali and Nikozi Dioceses under Georgia's Orthodox Church, and its bishop is Isaia Chanturia.
According to the letter, The Russian Orthodox Church, as other local orthodox churches, have always recognized the jurisdiction of the Georgian church in the regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali.
"Without taking permission from the Georgian Orthodox Church and agreeing with us, the performance of church services by religious servants of other Orthodox churches is unacceptable, and similar deviation from the accepted norm harm the relations between our churches.
We hope you will investigate the issue and take strict measures against the religious servants who perpetrated this unlawful act. We do hope that similar acts will not be repeated," the letter reads.
