On December 17, at the Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, under the leadership of Professor Sergo Vardosanidze, Head of the Department of Georgian History, Doctor of Historical Sciences and Theology, a scientific conference was held dedicated to the 48th anniversary of the enthronement and the 93rd birthday of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi, and Metropolitan of Bitchvinta and Tskhum-Apkhazeti.
The Rector of the Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary,
Professor Archpriest Giorgi Zviadadze, Doctor of Philology,
Theology and Political Science, opened the conference with a
welcoming address.
Father
Giorgi welcomed the audience and congratulated His Holiness and
Beatitude Ilia II, Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia, on the 48th
anniversary of his enthronement and his 93rd birthday, once again
respectfully emphasizing the outstanding contribution of the Head
of the Church of Georgia to the nation and to the Apostolic Church
of Georgia.
“It is of great importance and brings me joy that the professors, teachers, and students of our institution are participating with enthusiasm and a strong sense of responsibility in the jubilee celebrations of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II. The ministry of the Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia is the result of great effort, martyrdom, and nights spent in tears. Such service is always accompanied by profound suffering, because the revival of the Church, its renewal, and a life of holiness inevitably encounter great opposition and trials. We must all understand that this God-pleasing and generational mission requires deep knowledge, education, holiness, and strong personal virtues. Today’s conference is an effort to once again clearly comprehend the difficult path the Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia has followed in service to the Church,” the Rector stated.
The following speakers presented papers at the conference:
1. Doctor of Historical Sciences and Theology, Professor Sergo Vardosanidze – The Enthronement of the Patriarch;
2. Third-year student of the Academy, Shavlego Gabatashvili – His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II and Theological Education;
3. Third-year student of the Academy, Archimandrite Ioane Mchedlishvili – The Revival of the Church of Georgia in the Era of Patriarch Ilia II.
4. Doctor of Theology Irakli Orzhonia – The Challenges of the 20th–21st Centuries and the Orthodox Church of Georgia.
Mr. Sergo Vardosanidze recalled the 1970s and the extremely difficult condition of the Church of Georgia during that period, which was the result of the prolonged activity of the atheist regime. Until 25 December 1977, the Patriarchs of the Church of Georgia were elected only by a narrow circle of clergy. The enthronement of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, however, turned into a true popular celebration, as the people, despite resistance, broke through the militia cordons and attended this historic day at Svetitskhoveli Patriarchal Cathedral. This action by the faithful was connected to the special expectation that society held toward the person of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II. I am happy that on that day I was a witness to the historic events, and that for 48 years I have followed the ministry of our great Patriarch. I wish many years of life and strength to the father of our nation, for the benefit of the nation and the Church,” said Mr. Sergo Vardosanidze.
Shavlego Gabatashvili, the third-year student of the Academy, gave a detailed overview of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II’s activities in our country aimed at the revival of theological education.
“In Georgia, theological education has historically been not only an internal institutional need of the Church, but a field organically connected with national culture, spiritual identity, and statehood-oriented thought. As a result of the repressive policies of the Soviet era, the traditional system of theological education in our country was significantly dismantled, which caused serious damage to the Orthodox Church of Georgia. In the 1970s, theological schools were abolished, and accordingly, new clergy had no institutional space for training; active monasteries could no longer engage in educational activities, and spiritual literature could no longer be published under conditions of strict censorship.
It was precisely during this difficult period that His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia, began his ministry. From the very moment of his enthronement as Patriarch, he undertook care for scholarship and education. The Catholicos Patriarch’s selfless labor in the field of theological education defined an entire era,” the speaker noted.
In his speech, Archimandrite Ioane Mchedlishvili spoke about the multifaceted revival of the Church of Georgia during the period of Patriarch Ilia II’s ministry.
“We call the period of the leadership of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II an epochal one because of his multifaceted activities. During this time, the spiritual and institutional revival of the Church began, the number of dioceses increased, and hundreds of churches and monasteries were restored and rebuilt. We should especially note one of the greatest monuments of the Christian world — the Holy Trinity Cathedral, which His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II called the ‘self-portrait of the Georgian people.’
The authority and ministry of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II brought epochal significance to the Church of Georgia. Specifically, in 1990, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Dimitrios, officially confirmed the patriarchal dignity of the Church of Georgia and the canonical status of its autocephaly through an official document. This event, together with the restoration of Georgia’s national independence, became a catalyst for the spiritual revival of the nation,” said Archimandrite Ioane.
Irakli Orzhonia, in his presentation, reviewed the activities of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II in both international and interfaith contexts.
“His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II often met with political and religious leaders from various countries. During these meetings, he would discuss issues concerning the state significance of Georgia as well as global political matters. After dialogues with His Holiness, the Patriarch Ilia II, everyone unanimously noted the refined diplomacy and broad perception of events demonstrated by the head of the Church of Georgia. It is also noteworthy that the Catholicos Patriarch maintained constructive relations with the spiritual leaders of non-Orthodox churches and non-Christian denominations,” the presenter emphasized.
At the conclusion of the conference, the Rector of the school, Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze, once again emphasized the great merits of the country’s spiritual leader and wished him many more years of life and continued spiritual strength. Father Giorgi also expressed his gratitude to the organizer of the conference, Mr. Sergo Vardosanidze, as well as its participants and the attending public.
The conference was attended by professors, instructors, staff, and students of the Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary. At the beginning and end of the session, the Choir of the Theological Seminary, under the direction of Lasha Zaalishvili, performed hymns.
