Mtskheta, Georgia, September 4, 2026
oc-media.org
A street in the ancient capital of Georgia has been renamed in honor of the recently reposed Patriarch.
The Mtskheta Municipal Council has renamed a major street in the city after His Holiness Patriarch Ilia II, the longtime leader of the Georgian Orthodox Church who reposed in the Lord on March 17 after leading the Church for 48 years.
The council’s decision, based on an order dated August 31, changed the name of the street formerly known as Samkhedro (Military) Street to Ilia II Street. The council cited the historical situation and other objective circumstances as the basis for the change, reports the Union of Orthodox Journalists.
Under Georgian law, naming a geographic site after a public figure is generally permitted only 20 years after that person’s death, but the government made an exception in this case.
Ilia II Street is one of Mtskheta’s main and busiest thoroughfares, following a section of the historical military road that runs through the city. Buildings along the street include the Mtskheta District Court, the Mtskheta medical center, bank branches, and various shops and other businesses.
The renaming of one of Mtskheta’s main streets is seen as an expression of respect for the legacy and historical significance of Patriarch Ilia and his long leadership of the Georgian Orthodox Church.
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