17/03/2026
We deeply regret to inform the society that this evening Georgia has lost Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, the Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and Metropolitan Bishop of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazia, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II.
He was elected by Holy Synod in 1977 December 25. That was the time when Georgian Orthodox Christians (vast majority of population) were oppressed. He managed to bring people back to church and also to openly express their religious beliefs, when Soviet propaganda tried the opposite and threatened people with various cruel, hostile methods and with death.
He took Georgian churches back from Soviet Union one by one. Most of them had been used as cowsheds, concert halls, sportshalls or just were forgotten.
History of Georgian Orthodox Church can be traced down to Kingdom of Iberia and Colchis in early Christian period or even down to Andrew the First Called apostle of Jesus Christ himself in I Century A.D.
Georgian church is one of the oldest in the world along with it's people. We accepted Christianity in IV Century and never gave it up since that.
Christianity nowadays is one of three the most important ideological pillars of Georgian identity: Homeland, Language and Religion.
Around 83% of total population of Georgia are Orthodox Christians.
According to Surveys Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia the second and the Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Georgia are the most trusted among the nation.
