Welcome to the Iveron Icon of Mother of God Georgian Orthodox Church in Toronto. We are a warm and faithful community rooted in the ancient traditions of the Georgian Orthodox Church, and we invite all who seek spiritual nourishment and fellowship to worship with us.
With the blessing of the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church and His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, an administration of Georgian congregations in the United States and Canada was established. Under this holy guidance, the first Georgian Orthodox Church in this region was founded and named after the widely venerated, miracle-bearing Iveron Icon of the Holy Mother of God.
Beginning in 2011, Reverend Father Paul Zakaraia began his ministry at the Iveron Icon of Mother of God Georgian Orthodox Church in Toronto. Through tireless dedication, he gathered the Georgian community around the faith, nurturing religious life and sharing Orthodox teachings among Georgian immigrants. Building a parish from the ground up, far from the motherland, required Father Paul’s complete devotion to his flock and to the Georgian Orthodox Church. On July 22, 2014, Archimandrite Saba was consecrated as Bishop of North America by His Holiness and Beatitude Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II and the Holy Synod. Metropolitan of Batumi and Lazeti Eparchy, Archbishop of North America and Canada Dimitri Shiolashvili, was appointed as head of the council.
On August 19, 2014, Bishop Saba consecrated Father Thomas Bekurishvili as priest at the Church of the Iveron Icon of Mother of God in Toronto. In October 2014, following years of faithful service gathering and guiding the Georgian Orthodox parish in Toronto, Reverend Father Paul returned to his homeland of Georgia to help establish a new church in the capital, Tbilisi, entrusting the Toronto parish to Father Thomas’s care.
Life in a new country presents many challenges, particularly for those Georgians who seek not only material stability but also spiritual nourishment. The Georgian community is among the youngest in North America, and the Church is committed to providing guidance and support as newcomers integrate into Canadian society, embracing its values of multiculturalism, respect, and peaceful coexistence in a multi-religious community. To this end, the parish also maintains a Sunday school for young people, where children learn the Georgian language, history, and the teachings of the Orthodox faith.
Today, our parish continues to grow under the pastoral leadership of Archpriest Thomas Bekurishvili. We remain a spiritual home for Georgians in Toronto and welcome all who wish to join us in prayer, community, and faith.