Expanded Church Council convenes in Tbilisi to elect new Patriarch of Georgia

An expanded church council is underway at Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi to elect the new Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia following the death of Ilia II.

Before the council began, a memorial service was held at the cathedral in honor of the late Patriarch.

Ahead of the official opening of the gathering, the locum tenens of the Patriarchal Throne, Metropolitan Shio (Mujiri), addressed participants with a welcoming speech. The expanded council of the Georgian Orthodox Church then continued behind closed doors.

Members of the Holy Synod are expected to choose the new Catholicos from among three candidates.

Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne, Metropolitan Shio - born Elizbar Mujiri - has served as the Patriarchal Locum Tenens for the past nine years by the decision of Ilia II. He is the Metropolitan of Senaki and Chkhorotsku and holds the rank of chorepiscopus, with the right to wear a diamond cross on his skufia for special merits. He graduated from the Batumi Theological Seminary and the Moscow Theological Academy.

Metropolitan Grigol of Poti and Khobi - born Guram Berbichashvili - studied at a civil aviation school in Ukraine after graduating from secondary school. Between 1988 and 1991, he continued his studies at the Tbilisi Theological Seminary and later at the Tbilisi Theological Academy. On March 24, 1996, Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II consecrated Archimandrite Grigol as Bishop of Poti and Khobi.

Metropolitan Iob of Mrovi and Urbnisi, Iob Akiashvili - born Elguja Akiashvili - was born in 1960 in the village of Sno, Kazbegi district. After graduating from Sno Secondary School, he enrolled in the Faculty of Economics at the Georgian Agricultural Institute. During his student years, he served as an altar assistant at the Sioni Patriarchal Cathedral. He later graduated from the Theological Seminary. His clerical path began after completing his studies at the institute, when he was appointed economist at the Patriarchate.