Patriarch Ilia II marks 48 years as head of Georgian Orthodox Church

Forty-eight years have passed since Ilia II was enthroned as Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, making him one of the longest-serving religious leaders in the Orthodox Christian world.

Ilia II, born Irakli Shiolashvili on 4 January 1933 in Vladikavkaz, was baptised three days after his birth on Christmas Day and named in honour of King Erekle II. He completed his early education in Vladikavkaz before enrolling at the Moscow Theological Seminary in 1952, later continuing his studies at the Moscow Theological Academy.

In 1957, while still a student, Shiolashvili was tonsured a monk with the blessing of Catholicos-Patriarch Melkisedek III and given the name Ilia, in honour of the Prophet Elijah. He was soon ordained as a hierodeacon and later as a hieromonk. After graduating from the academy in 1960, he returned to Georgia due to a shortage of clergy and was appointed to serve at Batumi Cathedral.

His ecclesiastical career advanced rapidly. In 1963, he was consecrated Bishop of Shemokmedi and appointed as a chorepiscopus of the Catholicos-Patriarch. From 1963 to 1972, he served as the first rector of the Mtskheta Theological Seminary, then the country’s only theological institution. He was later transferred to the Abkhazia diocese and elevated to the rank of metropolitan in 1969.

Following the death of Catholicos-Patriarch David V on 9 November 1977, the Holy Synod appointed Ilia as locum tenens. He was elected Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia on 23 December 1977, and his enthronement took place two days later, on 25 December, when he officially assumed the name Ilia II.