On December 9, 12, 15 and 21 of the current year, the jubilee days dedicated to the 90th birthday and 45th Anniversary of the Enthronement of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia are being held at the Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary. It combines several important events characterized by a diversity of themes and content. From December 9 to 12, students will give talks on the life and achievements of the Patriarch. An exhibition of the works of the students of the Faculty of Church Architecture, Icon Painting, Restoration of Easel and Monumental Icon Painting of Theological Academy and Seminary will be organized. Films depicting the life and activities of the Patriarch will be shown and the TTAS choirs will give concerts. On December 15, TTAS will host the poet Tariel Kharkhelauri, and on December 21, a scientific conference of the academic staff, dedicated to the jubilee days of His Holiness and Beatitude, will be held.
On December 9, the Rector of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, Doctor of Philology, Theology and Political Sciences, Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze opened the Jubilee Days with his welcoming speech. He congratulated the audience on the 90th birthday and the 45th Anniversary of the Enthronement of His Holiness and Beatitude. He noted that Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, as a higher theological school founded by the Patriarch, should celebrate with special dignity, awe and gratitude the Jubilee Day of the person whose merits are immeasurably great in the establishment of the school and, generally, in the revival of the country’s spirituality, ecclesiastical science and education.
The students’ reports presented the merits of the Patriarch in various aspects:
1. Besik Gamkrelidze, a second-year student of Tbilisi Theological Academy – The Revival of Church Singing (Supervisor - Master of Theology Lasha Zaalishvili);
2. Nikoloz Chargazia, Giorgi Gvimradze, fourth-year students of Tbilisi Theological Seminary - The Contribution of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia to the Revival of Monastic Life in Georgia (from the Time of His Enthronement to the Present Day) (Supervisor - Doctor of Historical Sciences and Theology, Prof. Sergo Vardosanidze);
3. Tsotne Gigiberia, a third-year student of Tbilisi Theological Academy - Canonical Order and Dignity of the Patriarchal Church (Supervisor - Master of Theology, Archpriest Longinoz Suarishvili);
4. Konstantine Machavariani, a first-year student of Tbilisi Theological Academy – The Patriarch – Spiritual Leader of the Nation (Supervisor - Doctor of Theology, Archdeacon Demetre Davitashvili;
5. Mariam Jorjadze, a third-year student of the Faculty of Christian Psychology of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary – The Contribution of the Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia to the Protection and Preservation of the Georgian Christian Heritage Abroad (Supervisor - Doctor of History, Prof. Eldar Bubulashvili);
One of the series, titled “Autocephaly” of the film “The Eternal Present”, directed by Nino Khoperia, was shown.
At the event, the choir of TTAS, conducted by Master of Music Arts and Theology Lasha Zaalishvili, performed hymns, including those composed by His Holiness and Beatitude – the hymn “Holy God” and a hymn dedicated to Saint Nino.
In the closing speech, the Rector of TTAS, Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze thanked the speakers and their supervisors, the professors and teachers, the organizers of the event, and ended his speech with noble words imbuing with responsibility, which at the same time, where exceedingly emotional for each of the students: “If the Patriarch saw you today, he would be proud of you”.