"The goal of the visit is to establish the canonical rights of the Georgian Orthodox Church in the conflicts of the region, and to regulate existing misunderstandings," the Georgian Patriarchy said in a statement.
The delegation will be led by Bishop Gerasim of Zugdid and Tsaishi, and will include former Georgian ambassador to Russia, Zurab Abashidze.
The Georgian church officials will meet with Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Alexy II, and with representatives of the Georgian diaspora. The visit will continue until November 9.
Georgia severed diplomatic relations with Russia after a five-day war over South Ossetia in August that saw Russia recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia, two breakaway Georgian republics, as independent states. The conflict began when Georgian forces attacked South Ossetia in a bid to regain control over the republic.
