At the meeting of the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church, which is scheduled for February 11, there can arise the discussion about the reelection of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II. This is said in a statement by a group of experts, which was immediately denied by the Georgian Patriarchate, Credo.Press reports.

The Association of Religious Studies of Georgia claims that the Synod will bring up the issue of eliminating Ilia II and appointing Patriarchal Locum Tenens, Metropolitan Shio (Mujiri) of Senak and Chkhorotsk as the new head of the GOC, Georgia Online reports.

Religious scholars refer to confidential sources and the “hand of Moscow”, the newspaper writes.

Archpriest Andrei Jagmaidze, head of the public relations service of the Patriarchate, called the experts’ statements “fantasies.”