Metropolitan Nikoloz Pachuashvili of Akhalkalaki, Kumurdo, and Karsa has addressed the participants of the expanded assembly of the Georgian Orthodox Church with a request not to delay the canonization of the late Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II. He urged the Holy Synod to consider the possibility of canonizing the deceased Patriarch, emphasizing that in the Orthodox tradition, there are cases where the veneration of holy figures began immediately after their death and was later formalized through canonization. In his address, he cited examples of saints whose veneration spread during their lifetime or shortly after death, including early Christian martyrs, Saint Nicholas, Saint Anthony the Great, Seraphim of Sarov, and others. He noted that in Orthodoxy, canonization is based on signs of holiness: a righteous life, asceticism, […]
Metropolitan Nikoloz Pachuashvili of Akhalkalaki, Kumurdo, and Karsa has addressed the participants of the expanded assembly of the Georgian Orthodox Church with a request not to delay the canonization of the late Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II.
He urged the Holy Synod to consider the possibility of canonizing the late Patriarch, emphasizing that in Orthodox tradition, there are instances where the veneration of holy figures began immediately after their passing and was subsequently formalized by canonization.
In his address, he cited examples of saints whose veneration spread during their lifetime or shortly after their death, including early Christian martyrs, Saint Nicholas, Saint Anthony the Great, Seraphim of Sarov, and others.
He noted that in Orthodoxy, canonization is based on signs of holiness: a righteous life, asceticism, national veneration, miracles, confessorship, and spiritual legacy.
«Canonization is carried out based on signs of holiness historically established in the Orthodox Church. Among them:
- Orthodox faith;
- Holiness of life: asceticism, love, mercy, prayer; sacrificial service and life;
- National veneration, when a person is addressed as a saint, with continuous visits to their grave and testimonies of help;
- Miracles during life and after death;
- Confessorship and a martyr’s death;
- Spiritual legacy: theological works, hymnography, sermons, and influence on church life.
In the case of our Patriarch, there is an extensive list of examples for each of these signs,» the address stated.
Vladyka (Bishop) Nikoloz noted that, in his opinion, there are already numerous testimonies of these signs regarding Patriarch Ilia II.
In conclusion, he proposed canonizing Ilia II and naming him “Equal-to-the-Apostles,” emphasizing that canonization in the Church is a confirmation of existing veneration rather than its creation.
«His Holiness and Beatitude the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and Metropolitan of Pitsunda and Sukhumi-Abkhazia Ilia II should be canonized and named Equal-to-the-Apostles,» noted Vladyka Nikoloz.