Ephraim II (Sidamonidze) of Georgia

His Holiness and Beatitude Ephraim II (Sidamonidze) of Georgia was Archbishop of Mtsheta and Tbilisi and Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia from 1960 to 1972. While avoiding confrontation with the Soviet government, his sermons appealed to Georgian patriotism.

Life

Grigoi Sidamonidze (Georgian: გრიგოლ სიდამონიძე) was born on October 19, 1896. He entered the Tiflis Theological Seminary in his late teens, graduating in 1918. He continued his education at the Tiflis State University, graduating with a degree in philosophy in 1925.

Grigoi was tonsured a monk in 1922 with the name Ephraim and entered the Holy Orders. He was consecrated to the episcopacy in 1927 as bishop of Nikortsminda. During the following years he served as bishop of Gelati and Kutaisi, followed by appointment as metropolitan of Batumi-Shemokmedi and Chkondidi.

After the repose of Melchizedek III as Catholicos-Patriarch, Ephraim was elected Catholicos-Patriarch by the Synod of Bishops of the Church of Georgia. He gained much popularity through his patriotic appeal to the people in his sermons. He was able to maintain friendly relations with the Church of Russia and the the Armenian Apostolic Church. In 1962, he brought the Georgian Church into the World Council of Churches.

Catholicos-Patriarch Ephraim II reposed on April 7, 1972 and was interred in the Sioni Cathedral in Tbilisi, Georgia.

Succession box: Ephraim II (Sidamonidze) of Georgia
Preceded by: ?	Bishop of Nikortsminda 1927-19xx	Succeeded by: ?
Preceded by: ?	Bishop of Gelati and Kutaisi 19xx-19xx	Succeeded by: ?
Preceded by: Melchizedek III (Pkhaladze)	Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia 1960-1972	Succeeded by: David V (Devdariani)

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Source

• Wikipedia: Ephraim II of Georgia