On July 13, at the Patriarchal Holy Trinity Cathedral was held the ceremony of the 23th universal baptism. Godson of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi, the Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazia, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II became more 511 children. The head of the Georgian Church is already the godfather of 11,907 children. With parental consent, His Holiness may become the godfather of the third and subsequent children of married in church families. By order of His Holiness and Beatitude, the fourth child of each family, which is the godson of His Holiness, conferred the title - "Defender of the Patriarchal Throne." After the ceremony of baptism, the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia blessed his godchildren. The first universal baptism took place on January 19, on the Feast of the Transfiguration, in 2008.