TBILISI, DFWatch–The Public Registry in Georgia rejected an application to register the Autocephalous Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster as a public legal entity.

Journalist Lexo Machavarian’s April 19 application was rejected for two reasons. First, because he didn’t include documentation that the religious community is registered in an EU member state. Second, the term ‘autocephalous’ is only granted to Georgia’s Orthodox Church and can only be used after agreeing with the Orthodox Church.

Georgian media outlets referred to the 1,509th article of Georgia’s Civil Code, by which the Public Registry is entitled to register a religious community which is recognized in a country that is member of the Council of Europe, and the Flying Spaghetti Monster is recognized in the Netherlands, as well as in Poland. It is also recognized in New Zealand.

Flying Spaghetti Monster is a parody of religion. It has a non-serious attitude to all kinds of religions and its followers are against the teaching of creationism and intelligent design in schools.