A lesser-known aspect of Patriarch Ilia II of Georgia is his significant contribution to Georgian church hymnography, alongside his long tenure as a pastor and spiritual leader.
The Patriarch of Georgia reposed on Tuesday evening at the age of 93, after dedicating more than half his life to patriarchal service.
His legacy to the Georgian people includes not only pastoral, missionary and spiritual work, but also compositions of church music.
According to the Journal of the Gelati Academy in Georgia, Patriarch Ilia authored hymns such as “Come to Me, O Lord”, “Lord Jesus Christ”, “Holy God”, “Our Father”, “Prayer for the Departed” and “My Prayer”, among others. Among his most notable works are “Kyrie eleison” and “Ave Maria”, which have been praised by Georgian and international specialists.
He was also passionate about painting, creating icons of Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, the Prophet David, Saint Vakhtang Gorgasali, Queen Tamar of Georgia and Saint George.
Cultural Legacy
Patriarch Ilia’s cultural legacy extended beyond artistic works and musical manuscripts. He initiated and established several educational and cultural institutions under the Georgian Patriarchate.
In 1995, at the initiative of the patriarch and President Eduard Shevardnadze, the Gelati Academy of Sciences—originally founded in the 12th century by David IV of Georgia—was re-established.
Among the educational institutions operating under the Patriarchate are:
- St Andrew the First-Called Georgian University
- St Queen Tamar University
- St George Mtatsmindeli Higher School of Church Chant (with similar schools in Poti and Adjara)
Patriarch Ilia encouraged the study of church music among young people. At a book launch in 2019 at the Patriarchal headquarters, he stated: “Georgian chant and the Church’s hymnography are an important part of Georgian culture.”
He also called on state authorities to include church music in school curricula. “I asked that church hymns and traditional songs be included in middle school curricula. The prime minister promised this would happen,” he said.
Patriarch Ilia II was an honorary member of the Georgian Academy of Sciences (since 2003) and of the International Academy for the Promotion of Scientific Research (since 2007).
National Mourning
Georgia has declared national mourning until the day of the patriarch’s funeral. His body was placed on Wednesday afternoon in the Holy Trinity Cathedral (Sameba).
The funeral service will take place on Sunday, after which he will be buried at the Sioni Cathedral, the former patriarchal cathedral of the Georgian capital.
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Photo: gela-guralia.livejournal
