Today is the birthday of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia.

The State Agency for Religious Issues “congratulates His Holiness on his birthday with great respect and wishes him long life, good health and unification of the homeland.”

“The Patriarch is an outstanding religious leader who is appreciated and trusted not only in the Orthodox world. He has played a great role in the recent history of Georgia and has become a unifying symbol.

His contribution to strengthening the spirituality of the Georgian nation, preserving its historical uniqueness and traditions is immeasurable,” reads the information released by the Agency for Religious Issues.