On December 16, an event dedicated to the 92nd birthday of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi and Metropolitan of Bitchvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazeti and the 47th anniversary of his enthronement as Patriarch, was held at Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary. Entitled, The Cross of Being a Patriarch, the conference comprised the talks prepared by students, and students from all the faculties of TTAS participated in it. The speeches presented at the conference were based on the epistles, quotations and sermons of the Catholicos Patriarch. They displayed the epochal contribution of the foremost hierarch of our Church to the Orthodox Church of Georgia, the entire Georgian nation and the revival and development of spirituality, culture and science.
The Rector of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, Doctor of Theology, Philology and Political Sciences, Professor, Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze opened the scientific event with an introductory speech. He expressed his special respect and gratitude to the Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II and noted that “in the most difficult period, the Most High God chose him and bestowed upon him the heaviest and most honorable Cross of the foremost hierarch of the Church, which he has been carrying with special spiritual fortitude and faithfully and devotedly serving the Church and the Georgian nation for 47 years now...
“Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, as the highest theological school founded by the Patriarch, should celebrate with special dignity, reverence and gratitude the birthday and enthronement of a person whose contribution to the revival of this institution, spirituality, ecclesiastical education and science, in general, is immeasurably great,” noted Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze.
The following students of TTAS presented their speeches at the scientific event and spoke about various aspects of the Patriarch’s ministry:
1. Bachana Aburjania - The Most Difficult and Honorable Duty – a third-year student of the Theological Seminary
2. Luka Simonishvili - The Cross of the Patriarch – a fourth-year student of the Theological Seminary
3. Luka Mghebrishvili, Giorgi Mchedlishvili, Giorgi Shavdia - The Issue of the Recognition of the Autocephaly of the Georgian Church According to the Words and Sermons of the Patriarch – a first-year student of the Theological Academy
4. Archpriest Giorgi Kalandia - National Culture and Religious Consciousness – a first-year student of the Theological Academy
5. Irine Chukhtiashvili - The Cross-Bearing Georgian Nation - The Great King Solomon II – the Faculty of Christian Psychology, a third-year student
6. Miranda Chiabrishvili - The Great King David the Restorer – the Faculty of Christian Psychology, a second-year student
7. Giorgi Mchedlishvili - Saint Ilia the Righteous - the Faculty of Christian Psychology, a third-year student
8. Potine Gunia - The Purpose of Human Life – the Faculty of Christian Art Theory and History, a first-year student
9. Gvantsa Javashvili - For Freedom, Truth and Joy – the Faculty of Christian Art Theory and History, a first-year student
10. Ana Qhupunia - For the Role of Women in the Family and Society – the Faculty of Ecclesiastical Architecture, Icon Painting, Restoration of Easel and Monumental Icon Painting, a third-year student
The event was attended by clergy, professors and students working at Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary.
At the conclusion of the conference, Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the students and their supervisors for their highly qualified speeches. He noted that their involvement and participation in the event dedicated to the Patriarch is an expression of great respect and gratitude towards the Patriarch of Georgia and Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary.
