Ilia II to baptize children

Georgian Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II will have the 22nd mass baptism of children, News Georgia reports.

Requests for part in the baptism ceremony are welcome at the Fund of the Georgian Patriarch from March 31 to April 2.

The patriarch has baptized about 11,000 children. Ilia II expressed readiness to baptize the third and upcoming children of large families, whose parents married in the Georgian Orthodox Church some years ago. The first baptism was organized by the patriarch on January 19th 2008, on the Day of the Epiphany.

The Statistical Department reported an increase in the birth rate, with families having two or more children. Experts say that the number of families with only one child is dropping, while the number of families with two or more children is growing.