Today in a hospital at the age of 93, the Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II — (Irakliy Georgiyevich Gudushauri-Shiolashvili), who had been hospitalized last night, passed away.

Ilia II is one of the most influential religious figures in Georgia and had held the post of Catholicos-Patriarch since 1977. His patriarchate was the longest in the history of the Georgian Orthodox Church.
Key milestones of his biography.
He studied at the Moscow Theological Seminary and then at the Moscow Theological Academy in the USSR.
· 1957 — ordained as a deacon and as a priest
· 1959 – ordained as a hieromonk by the now deceased Patriarch of Moscow Alexiy
· 1960 – after completing his studies, he returned to Georgia and began his church service.
· 1963 — consecrated as a bishop
· 1977 — elected Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia

From the moment of his election, he led the revival of the Church after the Soviet period.
Under his leadership:
· The number of churches and monasteries increased significantly
· Religious traditions and education were restored
The locum tenens of the Patriarchal Throne of the Georgian Orthodox Church is Metropolitan of Senaki and Chkhorotsku Shio (Mudzhiri). Ilia II appointed him to this position back in 2017, and Metropolitan Shio will administer the affairs of the Church until the election of a new patriarch..
The Patriarch of Georgia has died
Today in a hospital at the age of 93, the Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II — (Irakliy Georgiyevich Gudushauri-Shiolashvili), who had been hospitalized last night, passed away.

Ilia II is one of the most influential religious figures in Georgia and had held the post of Catholicos-Patriarch since 1977. His patriarchate was the longest in the history of the Georgian Orthodox Church.
Key milestones of his biography.
He studied at the Moscow Theological Seminary and then at the Moscow Theological Academy in the USSR.
· 1957 — ordained as a deacon and as a priest
· 1959 – ordained as a hieromonk by the now deceased Patriarch of Moscow Alexiy
· 1960 – after completing his studies, he returned to Georgia and began his church service.
· 1963 — consecrated as a bishop
· 1977 — elected Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia

From the moment of his election, he led the revival of the Church after the Soviet period.
Under his leadership:
· The number of churches and monasteries increased significantly
· Religious traditions and education were restored
The locum tenens of the Patriarchal Throne of the Georgian Orthodox Church is Metropolitan of Senaki and Chkhorotsku Shio (Mudzhiri). Ilia II appointed him to this position back in 2017, and Metropolitan Shio will administer the affairs of the Church until the election of a new patriarch..