The name Apollon as perhaps symbolic, since he went on to commit his life to art and to contribute significantly to the development of contemporary Georgian fine art. His artistic legacy has been extensively acknowledged, appreciated, and honored with several titles and honorary orders

Ambrosius (secular name: Besarion) Khelaia came from a family of priests and missionaries. His father, Zosime Khelaia, and his grandfather, David Khelaia, were active missionaries in Abkhazia. Ambrosius’ father served at one of the most revered shrines of western Georgia, the Church of St. George in Ilori. In the Georgian imagination, Ilori has been shrouded in a mystical veil since ancient times.

Tusheti is located in the far northeastern corner of Georgia. Its high-mountainous communities, which have sprung up on either side of the Caucasus Range, are renowned for their distinctive architecture, traditional crafts, folklore, and traditions, as well as their unique terrain. Tusheti is a border region, sharing boundaries with the Kakheti Plain to the south, Chechnya-Ingushetia to the north, Pshav-Khevsureti to the west, and Dagestan to the east.