‘Homeland, Language, Faith’: Ilia Chavchavadze’s legacy is both the bedrock of Georgian identity and our roadmap for the future, says PM Kobakhidze

“Our past is rich in outstanding secular and religious figures. However, Ilia Chavchavadze was the only one whom the Georgian people rightfully and affectionately called the ‘Father of the Nation’ during his lifetime,” Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said in his address at an event held in Kvareli to mark Iliaoba.

According to the Prime Minister, Ilia Chavchavadze brought together everything Georgia needed at one of the most difficult periods in the country’s history.

“Congratulations on Iliaoba, one of the most important celebrations for our country. Ilia Chavchavadze’s birthday is distinguished by its historical symbolism and significance. We have gathered in his native region to once again pay tribute to the outstanding legacy that shaped the Georgian nation’s self-awareness, spiritual strength and faith in the future.

“When we speak about Ilia Chavchavadze, we naturally think first and foremost of the foundations on which modern Georgian statehood, culture and national unity rest. Ilia achieved what seemed almost impossible – during one of the most difficult and defining periods for the country, he brought together everything Georgia needed at the time: a public figure, writer, publicist, founder of a bank, builder of the Georgian theatre and, most importantly, a leader of the nation.

There is hardly any sphere of public life in modern Georgia that does not draw upon his ideas. Such an example of multifaceted activity is rare even in world history. It is an event of universal significance, in which the life of one individual determined the path of a nation’s development.

Fortunately, our past is rich in outstanding secular and religious figures. However, Ilia Chavchavadze was the only one whom the Georgian people rightfully and affectionately called the ‘Father of the Nation’ during his lifetime,” the Prime Minister said.

According to Kobakhidze, Ilia Chavchavadze left the Georgian people their most important testament, ‘Homeland, Language, Faith’, which is not only the bedrock of Georgian identity but also a roadmap for the future that remains as relevant today as it was during Chavchavadze’s lifetime.

“This year’s anniversary carries special significance. This year, we are celebrating the 1,700th anniversary of the proclamation of Christianity as the state religion in Georgia. At such a landmark moment, it is impossible not to recall the tremendous efforts made by Ilia Chavchavadze to restore the autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Along with his many other great contributions, it was also for this service that the Georgian Church canonized him.

“Ilia Chavchavadze left the Georgian people their most important testament, ‘Homeland, Language, Faith’. This is not merely the bedrock of Georgian identity but also a roadmap for the future that remains as relevant today as it was during his lifetime.

Once again, congratulations on Iliaoba. I believe that the life of Saint Ilia the Righteous will remain an enduring example for us and all future generations of how a person should love their homeland and care for its better future not only through words but also through daily work,” the Prime Minister said.