On November 28, 2024, by the blessing of the Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II, and under the leadership of Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze, Rector of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, an evening dedicated to the 75th birthday of Metropolitan Anania (Japaridze) was held in the Queen Tamar Hall of the City Council. The evening was organized with great support extended by the Chairman of the Tbilisi City Council, Mr. Giorgi Tkemaladze. His Eminence Anania, Metropolitan of Manglisi and Tetritskaro is one of the oldest hierarchs of the Orthodox Church of Georgia, Professor in Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, Head of the Department of Theology in the Technical University of Georgia, Doctor of History.
The jubilee evening was opened with an introductory speech made by the Rector of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, Doctor of Philology, Theology and Political Sciences, Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze. He spoke about the great merits of the Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II to the Georgian state, the Orthodox Church of Georgia, Georgian people and the World Orthodox Church. He expressed his deepest respect and gratitude to His Eminence Anania, speaking of his special devotion and service to the Church of Georgia, the Patriarch and his homeland.
“Throughout his entire ministry, Metropolitan Anania has supported the Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, and with the highest dignity has carried the heavy burden of a clerical and public figure... The scale of his work truly deserves respect and a worthy celebration of the jubilee,” Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze said in his speech.
At the event, the following persons greeted Metropolitan Anania (Japaridze) with their speeches of congratulation and spoke about his special merits: the Member of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Georgia, Metropolitan of Chiatura and Sachkhere Daniel (Datuashvili), Archbishop Ephrem (Gamrekelidze) of Bolnisi, the Chairman of the Tbilisi City Council, Mr. Giorgi Tkemaladze; the President of the Georgian National Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Academician, Mr. Roin Metreveli; Rector of the Technical University of Georgia, Academician, Mr. David Gurgenidze; Rector of Sokhumi State University, Doctor of Political Sciences, Professor, Mr. Zurab Khonelidze; Head of the Department of History of Georgia in Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, Doctor of Historical Sciences and Theology, Professor Sergo Vardosanidze; Archpriest Giorgi Malkhazishvili and the doctoral student of the Technical University, Mr. Nugzar Vanishvili.
Also, the President of the National Academy of Sciences of Abkhazeti, Mr. Zurab Lomtatidze and Nun Mariam (Bagration-Mukhraneli) spoke about the merits of His Eminence Anania. Each of them expressed their deepest respect and love for Metropolitan Anania. In addition, they expressed their special gratitude to the Rector of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze for appreciating the merits of Metropolitan Anania (Japaridze) of Manglisi and Tetritskaro and for organizing such a large-scale and representative event.
The speakers spoke about Metropolitan Anania’s contribution to the Georgian nation and the Orthodox Church of Georgia, as well as his very important scientific works.
The Catholicos Patriarch’s deepest trust was exhibited by the appointment of His Eminence Anania as the Chairman of the Permanent Commission of the Patriarchate for Establishing Authentic History. The activities of the commission have shed light on many issues of vital importance to the nation.
The results of the work of this commission were reflected in the extensive studies of Metropolitan Anania: “Denationalization of Georgians in the 17th-20th Centuries. Saingilo, Abkhazeti, Kartl-Kakheti, Meskheti, Trialeti, Shida Kartli”; “Meskheti - The Conversion of Georgians to Islam”; “About Lazika” and others.
His Eminence’s vision of nationality and state is displayed in his works - “The Expansion of the State Language - the Foundation of Peace and Stability”; “Peter of Iberia – an Orthodox Bishop”. Noteworthy is Metropolitan Anania’s extremely important fundamental research “The Jurisdiction of the Church of Georgia in the North Caucasus”, as well as “The History of the Apostolic Church of Georgia”, etc., - the speakers noted in their talks.
At the event, the most important scientific works recently published by His Eminence Anania (Japaridze) were presented.
In his speech, Bishop Anania expressed his deep gratitude to His Holiness and Beatitude, Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II. “24 years ago, in 1994, His Holiness and Beatitude, the Catholicos Patriarch instructed me to teach love for the Georgian Church in our Theological Academy, and I have been doing so up to the present,” Bishop Anania said.
In addition, he expressed his special gratitude to the Rector of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze, for his care for the Academy and Seminary and his appreciation of his work.
In his concluding speech, the Rector of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze once again expressed his special gratitude to the Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II, who had blessed the celebration;
In addition, he expressed special gratitude to the Chairman of the Tbilisi City Council, Mr. Giorgi Tkemaladze, through whose support Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary is always given the opportunity to organize events in the historical hall of Saint Queen Tamar.
At the end of the jubilee evening, Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the guests, once again reaffirmed his great respect and gratitude towards His Eminence Anania, and, on behalf of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, presented an icon of the Theotokos as a gift to him.
The jubilee evening dedicated to the 75th birthday of Metropolitan Anania (Japaridze) was attended by members of the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Georgia and others of the clergy, representatives of the Georgian government and the local government of Tetritskaro Municipality, prominent figures of culture and science, rectors of higher educational institutions, academicians, professors and teachers of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, and other guests invited to the event.
