The Patriarch of Georgia turned 91 years old

Today is the birthday of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude, Ilia II. He turned 91 years old.

Ilia II (as a layman - son of Irakli, Giorgi Ghudushauri-Shiolashvili) was born on January 4, 1933. He was ordained as a monk in 1957 and was named Ilia; On April 18, 1957, he was ordained as a hierodeacon in the Patriarchal Church of Zion; On May 10, 1959, he became a priest and nun in the Lavra of the Saint Sergius Monastery; On December 19, 1960, he was elevated to the rank of Abbot, and on September 16, 1961, to the rank of Archimandrite; On August 26, 1963, he was appointed as the Chorebishop of the Catholicos-Patriarch;

In 1963-1972 he was the first rector of Mtskheta Theological Seminary; In 1967, he was transferred to the Diocese of Abkhazia; In 1969, he was raised to the rank of metropolitan; On December 23, 1977, he was elected as the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia.

On December 25, the 46th anniversary of the enthronement of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi, Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazia, Ilia II was celebrated.