Metropolitan of Georgia. Ilia II, His Holiness and Beatitude Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia (Irakli Georgievich Gudushauri-Shiolashvili). You need to be close to the people
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– Your Eminence, bless. Thank you for agreeing to talk about this amazing person, as His Holiness Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II. He did a lot for the Church and Georgia. How do you think he managed to do this?
– I would like to greet the readers of the Pravoslavie.Ru website and congratulate them on the upcoming holiday of the Holy Nativity of Christ and the New Year, and wish everyone God’s mercy, joy and good health.
This year is a jubilee year for our Church and our Holy Patriarch-Catholicos of All Georgia Ilia II, since December 25 marks the 35th anniversary of his enthronement, and January 4, 2013 marks the 80th anniversary of his birth. His Holiness called the years of his ministry “a sunny night.” He says that they were difficult years, years of trials, and if he had not been supported by the mercy of God and the love of people, it would have been difficult for him to overcome all this.
I was lucky enough to live for some time at the Patriarchal residence in Tbilisi, where I could observe with my own eyes how His Holiness lived. Every morning he began with a prayer service to the saint of the day and every evening he prayed for evening worship. After the Church of St. Elijah the Prophet was built in the Patriarchate, His Holiness attended the Liturgy every day, which was served by the priests who lived there. I remember his deep prayerful attitude. During services, the Patriarch always remembered big number people from your memorial. No matter how late he returned, no matter how tired he was (for example, after returning from a foreign trip), he always went to church and performed the evening rule, always brought thanks to the Lord and only then allowed himself to rest. |
There are always a lot of people at the Patriarch’s residence, especially in holidays. Receptions run from morning until late evening.
Often we, young bishops, feel tired at the end of the day, especially if there are many events on that day, and the Catholicos-Patriarch, despite his years, stands cheerfully on his feet, greets everyone who comes, smiles at everyone and does not betray fatigue with a single gesture, concerns or burdens. The joy in him is transmitted to all people who come to him. This is his unique property: next to him you feel peaceful, calm and joyful. And everyone feels this, not only we, the children of the Church, but also people who come to him on various official visits: members of the government, parliament, foreign guests. The peace that is present in the Patriarch spreads around him and touches the hearts of all people nearby. His Holiness spent almost his entire life (if we exclude his years of schooling) in the bosom of the Holy Church. From early childhood he attended the temple. His parents were believers; they built a temple in honor of St. Nina in Vladikavkaz. At the age of 18, Irakli, who was the name of the Patriarch before he was tonsured, entered the seminary, and then the Academy in Sergiev Posad, studied at the monastery St. Sergius |
, people who were left without breadwinners - widows, orphans, old people, and in general all people who simply got into trouble, who ended up in prison.
His Holiness the Patriarch has always emphasized that the power of the Church is a heavenly power, and not an earthly one, that the Church only strives to ensure that people see the beauty of God, feel the mercy of the Creator towards people and have a desire to communicate with God. This is what the Church is called to do. Its main task is not to accumulate earthly wealth and not even to build numerous temples and monasteries, but to revive human souls.
The Patriarch always reminds young clergy of this. The authority of His Holiness has long gone beyond the borders of our country. He is respected not only
church leader , who always calls for peace, mutual respect and love, but also as a very talented person, icon painter and composer. He wrote many church and symphonic works - excellent examples of classical musical art. His ability to create, to create something beautiful and valuable, is manifested in everything. Everything around him is shrouded in beauty, love and the revival of human souls. An assessment of His Holiness’s works lies ahead. And we are simply happy that we live at the same time as this great man, we work together with him in the restoration of the Georgian Church and the Georgian state. We are grateful to the Patriarch for giving us this opportunity, since all current membersHoly Synod
The Georgian Orthodox Church was personally ordained by Patriarch Ilia II.
“There is a saying: “A man becomes great when he has a great teacher.” You communicate very closely with the Patriarch and probably know who he considers to be his teachers and spiritual mentors. – His Holiness talks a lot about those people with whom he had spiritual communication, remembers his teachers at the seminary and academy - rectors and teachers. He often remembers Archimandrite Shio (Dzizava) from the Teklat Monastery and His Holiness the Patriarchs - Georgian Callistratus and Ephraim and Moscow Alexy I, about Archimandrite Seraphim (Romantsev), who served in Sukhumi, about Schema-Archimandrite Vitaly and other clergy. Among them were his direct mentors and those whose example edified him. His Holiness tells us about how they lived, how they served, and what they said. All these people had a deep influence on his spiritual development, and he absorbed their virtues: their wisdom, patience, prayerfulness, mercy, and manner of communicating with people. Now he generously passes all this on to us.-Have you had any
- There was a lot. I will tell only one case.
One day I, then still a simple monk, was sent to the Patriarchate on business. This was in those years when the Patriarchate was settling down. They brought cypress trees, the same ones that are now growing in the yard. Then they had to be imprisoned.I walked across the yard, and bad thoughts swarmed in my head. And suddenly a novice came up to me and said: “The Holiness says: “There is a monk walking around the yard, he has bad thoughts in his head, call him, let him help you plant cypress trees” ....”
- So he read your thoughts?
“I don’t know how it happened, but I remember it very well.”
– Can you remember any liturgy that you served with His Holiness?
– In the akathist “Glory to God for everything,” written by Metropolitan Tryphon, there are the words: I thank You, Lord, for the grace-filled sensations and the amazing lightness that we feel during the service; this is the touch of Your grace on our souls. And this grace is felt when His Holiness Patriarch Ilia II serves the liturgy.
– All Georgians know the song written by Patriarch Elijah: “I’m tired, I’m tired. Come to me, Lord! Do you know when and why he wrote it?
– This chant was written during his ministry in Batumi. – Your Eminence, Bishop Andrei, we thank you for the conversation. What would you personally wish for? To His Holiness the PatriarchElijah on his anniversary? – First of all, I would wish health and many years of life to our Catholicos-Patriarch. We all need him: both the Church and the people. If someone doesn't understand that meaning which His Holiness has in modern history
Georgia, then I will tell you that Patriarch Elijah is the person who unites all the people of Georgia around himself, despite their religion and nationality. And I would also wish for all of us that the patriarchal word would be heard, understood and fulfilled by all of us.
Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi. In the world Irakli Georgievich Gudushauri-Shiolashvili.
Biography Born on January 4, 1933 in the city of Ordzhonikidze (now Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia) in a family of immigrants from Georgia. In 1952, after graduation high school
, entered the Moscow Theological Seminary, then continued his studies at the Moscow Theological Academy. In 1959 he became a monk. In 1960, after graduating from the academy, he was asked to continue, but due to a shortage of clergy, Hieromonk Irakli returned to his homeland and was appointed to serve in the Batumi Cathedral. For faithful service in 1961, he was elevated to the rank of hegumen, then to the rank of archimandrite, and on August 26, 1963, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ephraim II ordained him a bishop and appointed him bishop of Shemokmed, as well as patriarchal chorebishop (vicar).
At the same time, Bishop Ilya from 1963 to 1972 was the rector of the Mtskheta Theological Seminary (at that time the only theological educational institution in Georgia). In 1967, Bishop Ilya was transferred to the Abkhaz diocese. In 1969 he was elevated to metropolitan. On November 9, 1977, after the death of Catholicos-Patriarch David V, by order of the Holy Synod he was appointed Patriarchal Locum Tenens, and on December 23, 1977 he was elected Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia. On December 25, 1977, he was enthroned under the name Ilya II.
From 1978 to 1983, Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II was president of the World Council of Churches. He was awarded the highest awards by the patriarchs of Antioch, Jerusalem, and Alexandria. Russia, Georgia, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania and almost all Orthodox churches in the world. The New York Theological Academy awarded Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II the honorary title of Doctor of Divinity.
During the years during which Ilia II headed the Georgian Orthodox Church, new spiritual educational establishments: Theological seminaries were opened in Batumi, Akhaltsikhe and Kutaisi, a theological school and gymnasium were opened in Khulo, as well as gymnasiums in Tbilisi, Batumi, Zestafoni. After many centuries, the Gelati Theological Academy and the Gelati Academy of Sciences, under the auspices of the Church, were restored. The number of dioceses increased to 39. Five of the dioceses established under Ilia II were restored in territories outside modern Georgia (Lazeti, Tao-Klarjeti, Hereti, Tashiri), now belonging to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey: these are Akhaltsikhe-Tao-Klarjeti, Batumo-Laz , Dmanis-Agarak-Tashir, Dedoplistskaro-Nekress and Eret dioceses. On October 17, 2002, the Western European Diocese was also established. Over 1.5 thousand churches and 170 monasteries have been opened, where 3.2 thousand clergy serve.
With the blessing of Ilia II, the Bible was published in modern Georgian, theological collections, newspapers, brochures and books, magazines, and three types of calendars were established. On his initiative, a center was created under the Patriarchate, departments for missionary and evangelization, publishing, a department for searching and protecting shrines, a department for relations with the military and law enforcement agencies, as well as financial, economic and foreign policy departments, information service, the youth center “Dzlevai”, humanitarian service, pilgrimage service, etc. were founded.
At the end of 2016, Ilia II suffered viral infection, which resulted in inflammation of the gallbladder. Due to deteriorating health, Ilia II was unable to attend the liturgy in honor of the 39th anniversary of his enthronement on December 25, 2016.
On February 2, 2017, Ilia II went to a Berlin clinic for a routine health examination. On February 12, 2017, a source from the Rustavi 2 TV channel reported that they tried to poison the patriarch. At the Tbilisi airport, the head of the property management service of the Patriarchate of Georgia, Father Georgiy Mamaladze, who was heading to Germany, was detained. Law enforcement officers found poison and weapons in his luggage.
Notes
- Ilia II, His Holiness and Beatitude Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia (Irakli Georgievich Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) // Official website of the Moscow Patriarchate.
- Figures as of the end of 2009.
We heard about Patriarch Ilya II already in the first half hour of the excursion around Georgia. An hour later we already knew more about him than about any other Georgian. Three hours later we realized who is most respected and loved in Georgia. And by the end of the first day, we ourselves had already fallen in love with Patriarch Ilya the Second.
Georgians are loving people and they can infect people with their love.
Yes, Georgia loves its patriarch and is proud of him.
Georgia was unlucky with its presidents, but lucky with its patriarch. There have been many presidents, but the patriarch has been alone for almost half a century.
We were even supposed to meet with the patriarch at one service in Mtskheta, but, unfortunately, the patriarch’s plans changed and we did not see him. Nevertheless, based on the sum of all the impressions, stories, all the information, I was left with the complete feeling that we had met.
Patriarch Ilya is present everywhere in Georgia, he is remembered in churches and squares, in cities and in the mountains.
It's hard not to fall in love with such a charming, talented, charismatic and, I would say, creative patriarch.
The service of the patriarch is associated with many protocol and official formalities, but Patriarch Ilya constantly goes beyond the formalities, showing that the patriarch is not a rank, but a living person.
He finds some completely unimaginable and unexpected decisions spiritual problems of society.
I want to share and talk about non-standard solutions and the actions of Patriarch Ilya.
1. In Georgia, as in Russia, the problem of demography is acute. More Georgians die than are born. This is a problem that has never before in history faced either the people or the church. How to solve it? The clergy solves it by personal example. The most large families at the priests. But an example. Unfortunately. does not infect society. In Russia they came up with " maternal capital", the state is trying to solve the problem with the ruble. Georgia is poorer, it does not have such financial opportunities. Then Patriarch Ilya addressed the people with an appeal that he was ready to become godfather every third child in a Georgian family. This appeal was distributed on television channels. It should be noted the high authority of the patriarch, as well as the importance of godfathership, which in Georgia is equated to blood. This means,. that you can become related to the patriarch himself. Several days of baptisms were appointed throughout the year cathedral Holy Trinity in Tbilisi.
By appointment (to avoid crowding), many parents and children gathered. The Patriarch personally read prayers and led the rite of baptism. The event had a strong social impact. Many spouses were inspired to have a third child for the sake of their relationship with the patriarch.
This “action” has been going on for several years and by now Patriarch Ilya already has 34 thousand godchildren. They are said to be “born thanks to the patriarch.”
People from different cities and villages come to these baptisms. Every family can become related to the patriarch. The main condition is the birth of a third child in the family. (Their baptism in the temple Life-Giving Trinity takes on symbolic meaning!)
I asked if they come from other countries? Our guide Maya, by the way, the patriarch’s assistant, said that a lot of Georgians go to baptize children from Russia, Europe, and even from America. For them, this becomes another link with their homeland. I asked, can a Russian family have a Georgian patriarch as godparent? They answered me: “The Patriarch will be only too happy. Come from St. Petersburg to us...”
I was struck by this creative initiative, which does not require any capital, but reveals the patriarch as the “father of the nation” in the most literal sense of the word.
In continuation of this idea, Patriarch Ilya addressed the people with an appeal to stop abortions:
2. Also in Georgia, the problem of churching is relevant, although the level of religiosity is significantly higher than in Russia, especially among the male half of the people. How the Church can come into life ordinary families, how to come to their houses?
Patriarch Ilya blessed to paint several large icons of the most revered saints in Georgia - Great Martyr George, St. Nina, St. Nicholas, David of Gareji, etc. He himself consecrated them in the main cathedral and offered to take these icons to their homes for a week for prayer. The main condition is that during this week prayers, akathists, and canons (which were printed accordingly for these purposes) are read before the icon. Accept a shrine into your home - ancient tradition and a great honor. A waiting list was immediately drawn up for several months in advance. And the icons began to go to the homes and families of Georgians, thus performing missionary service. One can only imagine what kind of spiritual and prayerful upsurge took place in these houses. Local priests came to them, neighbors gathered along entire streets and blocks. Dinners were held and family holidays were celebrated. Then the icon was solemnly transported to another house.
Thus, the icons have already been missionaries for several years. Some icons returned to the temple and became new revered shrines.
Which great idea. which also does not require any investment, except for the informal attitude and non-standard thinking of the patriarch.
After that, I thought, maybe in a distant parish we could carry some icon from home in this way, for example, recently acquired ancient icon St. George the Victorious?
3. In Georgia, as in Russia. many namesakes. But in Georgia, as a rule, these are also distant relatives. Patriarch Ilya blessed the holding of special family liturgies in the Sameba Cathedral, to which bearers of the same surname are invited. For example, it is announced that there will be a service for the surname Beridze, Kapanadze or Gelashvili (these, by the way, are the most common Georgian surnames). This is preceded by many months organizational work, a public council of Beridze or Gelashvili is created, information is disseminated as much as possible (there is only one service for a given surname), a family icon of the patron saint is written, which is then consecrated by the patriarch and which is then kept by the representatives of the surname. At the service, all bearers of the surname establish family and friendly ties, pray and receive communion together, and then arrange a joint “feast for the whole.” Agree, it’s a very creative idea that churchizes entire families, again without any capital.
4. How does Patriarch Ilya celebrate his birthday? On this day, the doors of his residence in the center of Tbilisi open and everyone can enter the patriarch’s house without any obstacles and congratulate him on this holiday. Considerable queues form, but the patriarch happily stands for several hours accepting the congratulations of his flock. Many people who do not go to church nevertheless go to congratulate their patriarch. All this does not require any costs from the patriarchy. except for the expenditure of the patriarch’s strength and his abundance of love. Apparently, we will plan our next trip to Georgia for the patriarch’s birthday to see and congratulate him.
Icon of Ilya Chavchavadze
5. It should be noted one more important conceptual and creative idea Patriarch Elijah - the churching of culture through the canonization of cultural figures. Imagine if our classic Griboyedov were canonized? You will, of course, be surprised and, most likely, reject even such a thought. But in Georgia the classics of Georgian literature are glorified: poet Ilya Chavchavadze, historian, translator and linguist Dmitry Kipiani, historian, philologist, archaeologist, one of the founders of Tiflis University Evfimy Takaishvili, etc. All of them were glorified in last decades under Patriarch Ilya. Cult and culture are words with the same root. And culture must also have its saints. That is why, for the 200th anniversary of Dostoevsky, I proposed in an article on RNL to canonize Fyodor Dostoevsky. This would become an epoch-making event in the churching of our culture. But I was not understood by the Orthodox public of RNL. You can say that the poet Ilya Chavchavadze was killed and glorified as a martyr. Well, okay, then let's glorify the martyr Alexander Griboyedov, who was martyred by Muslim radicals in Tehran! I think Patriarch Ilya will most likely glorify him in Georgia. We need to petition. We will go to his relics in Tbilisi and read the brilliant work “Woe from Wit”.
6. It must be said that the patriarch churchizes creativity by personal example. He mastered the art of icon painting and himself painted icons for new and ancient churches. He painted an amazing image of the Trinity in the main cathedral of Georgia. taking Rublev's Trinity as a basis and inscribing it in a circle. This large icon is a temple icon in the Trinity Cathedral, that is, one of the main icons of Georgia. 
We had to see in different temples icons and even wall paintings made by Patriarch Ilya.
Of course, icons painted and donated by the patriarch immediately become revered in churches. Moreover. we were even shown a sculptural bust made with his participation. Also, the Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II, composes music, church hymns, which are performed at services (you can listen to them on the Internet), and sometimes writes spiritual songs, which he invites his guests to listen to. 
In general, Patriarch Ilya is not only “the most holy”, but also “the most creative”, to put it in one word, simply creative person.
After all that has been said, we were not surprised when we learned that in the patriarch’s homeland, in the mountain village of Sno, the house in which he was born was restored and preserved, and a spiritual and educational center was established. This place was not included in the mandatory places on our route. but when we were asked. We ourselves wanted to go there. We were allowed into the patriarch's chambers and I was honored to sit in the chair of the Georgian pariarch. As a souvenir of the visit and as a blessing from the patriarch, we, each of the three clergy representatives in the group, were given 5 liter bottles"Rkatsiteli". I managed to bring this blessing of the patriarch to Russia and now at the table I raise a toast to the creative patriarch of Georgia Ilya.
In conclusion, I would like to remind you that the Georgian Patriarch will turn 85 years old in 7 months. Many years!
Unexpectedly for everyone, today Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II named the name of the locum tenens. He became the Chorebishop of the Patriarch, Metropolitan Senaki and Chkhorotsku Shio Mujiri. The patriarch's decision worried Georgian society, giving rise to many speculations. Among others, there is this: the Georgian patriarch named his successor.
On St. George's Day, Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II presented a surprise to the public. On festive service in Tbilisi Kashveti Church Ilia II read out to the congregation his resolution on the appointment of a locum tenens:
“Saint George wished for us to have a locum tenens, and this is Vladika Shio. I congratulate him on this high title, I hope he will live up to his assigned responsibility.”
Finding himself surrounded by journalists, the 48-year-old clergyman began to insist that it was as much a surprise for him as for everyone else, that he did not deserve such a high title. But at the same time he admitted that few people were awarded such an honor.
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In a separate window“This is a special situation, I don’t remember this happening in our history. Therefore, in the near future it will become clear what these obligations will be,” said Shio Mujiri.
Does not remember the appointment of a locum tenens modern history Georgian and theologian Levan Abashidze. But this, according to him, does not mean that Ilia II named his successor.
“This means that he, together with the patriarch, will participate in the governance of the church. In the event of the death of the patriarch, he will perform his duties for 40 days, and then must convene a Large Church Assembly to elect a new patriarch. Naturally, Shio Mujiri will be one of the main contenders for the post of patriarch. Formally this is not the case, but informally it can mean just that. Apparently, for health reasons, the patriarch needs an official representative, that is, a locum tenens. In my opinion, they chose the most balanced, educated and the right person“, says Levan Abashidze.
Levan Abashidze is personally acquainted with Metropolitan Shio Mujiri. The theologian does not share the opinion of those who believe that with the nomination of Shio Mujiri, the pro-Russian wing in the Georgian Patriarchate has strengthened.
What is known about the patriarch’s locum tenens is that he is a close friend of pro-Russian businessman Levan Vasadze and President Giorgi Margvelashvili, with whom they studied together at school. Mujiri graduated from the Tbilisi Conservatory in cello. At the age of 24 he was ordained a monk, graduated from the Tbilisi Theological Academy, and then from the Moscow Orthodox St. Tikhon's Theological Institute. Since 2003, Metropolitan of Senaki and Chkhorotsku.
Shio Mujiri may indeed turn out to be a candidate that suits everyone, says another expert on religious issues - Beka Mindiashvili:
“Shio is not considered a fundamentalist, reactionary and ultra-conservative, he is considered a cleric of moderate views. He may turn out to be an acceptable candidate for Russia, since it is the decisive factor in the election of the Patriarch of Georgia. And it is important for her to maintain such an influential institution in the country to demonstrate her soft power.”
Beka Mindiashvili does not exclude that the candidacy of the locum tenens was agreed upon recently (November 1-2).
Metropolitan Shio can also suit the Georgian authorities, the theologian believes. It is with the acute interest of the authorities in the question of who will be the next patriarch that Bek Mindiashvili associates the church scandal surrounding the “cyanide case” that was made public. In February of this year, Archpriest Georgy Mamaladze, close to the patriarch, was detained at Tbilisi airport on his way to Berlin. As high-ranking officials indirectly pointed out at the time,...
Eight months later, Archpriest Georgy Mamaladze was found guilty by the court, but on charges of intending to poison not the head of the church, but his secretary-assistant Shorena Tetruashvili. During the noisy trial, which caused heated criticism from human rights activists, one of the supposed candidates for the post of patriarch, the nephew of Ilia the Second, Metropolitan Dmitry Shiolashvili, publicly renounced his claims to the church throne. He stated that he would not enter this rank even if the patriarch himself asked him to do so.
Although using clumsy methods, as Georgian observers noted then, the authorities achieved their goal - according to behind-the-scenes information, the Georgian Dream did not approve of the candidacy of Dmitry Shiolashvili.
Taking into account all this, as well as Ilia the Second’s advanced age (he will turn 85 on January 5) and illness, many consider his decision to appoint his locum tenens during his lifetime to be natural, wise and almost unprecedented. He did this a month before important date– December 25 will mark 40 years since Ilia the Second ascended the patriarchal throne of the Georgian Orthodox Church.