Irakli Kobakhidze, the chairman of Georgian Dream, congratulated the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II on his 90th birthday.

“As an ordinary representative of the parish of the Orthodox Church and an ordinary citizen of Georgia, I thank the Patriarch for the great contribution he made to the spiritual strengthening of the Georgian people and the building of Georgian statehood.

During the past half century, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II was not only an integral part of the most important era in the history of Georgia, but he himself created an era that brought spiritual and state prosperity to our people and country.

Every moment of this era was accompanied by the Patriarch’s great wisdom, which was a unique gift of God to our country. This gift needs special appreciation and care from each of us.

During the past decades, several generations of unbelievers and nationless people have tried to undermine the authority of the Patriarch, however, all these attempts turned out to be futile against His Holiness.

The life and work of the Patriarch was and will be an outstanding example of the victory of good over evil, the victory of faith over disbelief.

I wish the Patriarch a long life and good health, a long work for public good for the benefit of our country and the Georgian people!” - reads the statement.