Georgia bid farewell to Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II on Sunday (22 March). He was considered one of the most influential spiritual leaders in the country’s modern history. 

Thousands of Georgians gathered at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi to pay their respects, with many standing in continuous queues for days and spending nights in the cathedral’s courtyard. The Patriarch, who led the Georgian Orthodox Church for nearly five decades, died on 17 March at the age of 93 after being hospitalised in a critical condition with severe internal bleeding. 

International religious and government leaders attend funeral

The funeral service drew religious leaders from around the world, including Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, who described Ilia II as a “wise leader and peacemaker” and a father figure for the Georgian nation. Delegations from across the South Caucasus, including from Armenia and Azerbaijan, attended.

Religious leaders were joined by government officials and international dignitaries. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze attended the service, and messages of condolence were received from leaders worldwide, including King Charles III of the United Kingdom, who noted Ilia II’s moral authority and the respect he commanded both domestically and abroad.

Pope Leo XIV described him as the “voice of reconciliation” and a “tireless builder of unity,” recalling his passion for music as “an inspiration for the search for beauty” that unites the Churches.

A solemn funeral procession moved later in the day from Holy Trinity Cathedral through Tbilisi to Sioni Cathedral, where Ilia II was laid to rest. Citizens lined the streets, many carrying flowers, while large screens allowed many more to follow the ceremony.

• As Georgia mourns Patriarch Ilia II, Synod starts selection process for his successor
• Ilia II, longtime head of the Georgian Orthodox Church, dies at 93

A lifetime of leadership and national influence

Born Irakli Ghudushauri-Shiolashvili in 1933, Ilia II became head of the Georgian Church in 1977, during the Soviet era when religious practices were restricted.

Over his 49-year tenure, he emerged as a stabilising figure in Georgian politics, mediating between rival factions and expanding the church’s influence in public life while maintaining close ties to the state.

A new Patriarch is expected to be elected within two months, continuing the leadership of the 141st primate of the Georgian Orthodox Church.

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