Tbilisi, July 7, 2023
Photo: sazu.ge
The Georgian Orthodox Church has been holding events throughout the year in honor of the 45th anniversary of the Patriarchal enthronement and the 90th birthday of His Holiness Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II.
Pat. Ilia is the most trusted and beloved man in Georgia, and he has overseen the radical rebirth of the Georgian Church during his primatial reign. At the time of his enthronement, there were 15 dioceses and only 30 active churches left thanks to communist persecutions. Today there are 47 dioceses and about 2,000 active parishes, as well as about 3,000 clergy.
Photo: sazu.ge Also, in an effort to improve Georgia’s dire post-Soviet demographic situation, the Church began holding mass Baptisms in January 2008, with the beloved primate personally becoming Godfather to the third and subsequent children of spouses who were married in the Church. He is now Godfather to more than 46,000 children.
And on July 4, a choir of approximately 200 of the Patriarch’s Godchildren sang to him, performing songs personally written by His Holiness, reports the Georgian Patriarchate's Public Relations Department.
“God is with us!” His Holiness said. “I’m happy to see you. I wish you peace, joy, and happiness. You have accomplished many things. You can achieve much more. We await your good deeds.”
The Church published a video from the event:
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