Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II is celebrating his 83rd birthday today. Ilia II was born Irakli Ghudushauri-Shiolashvili. He graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary in 1957 and from the Moscow Theological Academy in 1960.
On August 26, 1963, he was chosen to be the bishop of Batumi and Shemokmedi and appointed a patriarchal vicar. From 1963 to 1972 he was the first rector of the Mtskheta Theological Seminary. In 1967, Ilia was consecrated as the bishop of Tsukhumi and elevated to the rank of metropolitan in 1969.
Ilia II was elected Catholicos-Patriarch on December 25, 1977.
