On 26 June at 18.00, the Sistine Chapel will host a concert offered by the Patriarchal Choir of the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tblisi and the Choir of the Pontifical Sistine Chapel Choir.

This will be the first joint concert between the two choirs. Some of the pieces that will be performed were composed by the Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia, His Holiness Ilia II.

The Tblisi Choir will also sing liturgical hymns on 29 June, on the occasion of the Mass for the Solemnity of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Saint Peter’s Basilica.

The above events, which also include the presence in Rome of a Georgian delegation composed of representatives of the Patriarchate and the Government, including the President of the country, are part of the history of growing relations between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church of Georgia. This history has included important moments, such as Patriarch Ilia II's visit to Rome in 1980, Pope John Paul II's apostolic trip to Georgia in 1999 and Pope Francis' visit in 2016. Mutual knowledge of each other's cultural heritage fosters mutual appreciation and the development of increasingly friendly relations.