Saint Ilia the Righteous

Prince Ilia Chavchavadze, known as Saint Ilia the Righteous, (October 27, 1837-August 30, 1907) was classic of new Georgian literature, famous public benefactor, jurist, leader of the Georgia's National-liberation movement in 1861-1907.

He was born in 1837, in Kvareli (Eastern Georgia). In 1857 he graduated from the 1st Classical Gimnasium of Tbilisi. In 1861 Ilia Chavchavadze graduated from the Faculty of Law of the St.Petersburg University (Russia).

He was author of many outstanding Georgian literary works ("The Hermit", "The Ghost", "Is a human a man?!", "The Othar's Widow", "The Robber Kako", etc.) and important journalistic papers. Since 1863 Ilia Chavchavadze was founder and editor-in-chief of Georgian public and political periodicals "Sakartvelos Moambe" (1863-1877) and "Iveria" (1877-1905). He was also founder and chairman of many public, cultural and educational organizations ("The Society on the Dissemination of Literacy Among Georgians", "The Bank of the Nobility", "The Dramatic Society", "The Historical-Ethnographical Society of Georgia", etc.). He was also translator of the British literature.

In 1906-1907 he was member of the State Council (Gosudarstvennaya Duma) of the Russian empire. On August 30, 1907 Ilia Chavchavadze Was assassinated by Georgian social-democrats.

In 1987 Ilia Chavchavadze was Sainted by the Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church.