Georgian PM “heartily” congratulates Orthodox Church’s Patriarch on 45th anniversary of consecration

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Sunday “heartily” congratulated Ilia II, the Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia’s Orthodox Church on the 45th anniversary of his consecration as Patriarch, wishing him “longevity and health” for the benefit of Georgian people and Georgia.

The process of “building a new Georgia” commenced by returning the country to its Christian values thanks to the Patriarch’s “great personal contribution” to it and during “all these decades” he has been “encouraging and uniting” Georgian people, instilling faith in the future, giving an example of love and support of each other and serving the country, Garibashvili said. 

The values, which His Holiness [Patriarch Ilia II] inculcates by his life and work, are universal, they belong to all of us - equally significant and precious to all citizens of our multinational country [Georgia] and so, I also congratulate our society on this wonderful day”, the Head of the Government added.

Ilia II was elected the new Catholic Patriarch of Georgia on December 25, 1977, and has been leading the spiritual life of the Orthodox Georgian Church for 45 years. From 1978 to 1983, he was Co-President of the World Council of Churches, an ecumenical organisation, to which the Georgian Orthodox Church joined with other Soviet churches in 1962.

In May 1997, the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church announced its withdrawal from the WCC.