TBILISI, April 25 – Georgia’s Orthodox Church marked 40 days since the death of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II on Saturday, with a service at Sioni Cathedral in central Tbilisi attended by senior clergy and government officials.
The liturgy began at 10am and was led by Metropolitan Shio Mujiri, the locum tenens of the patriarchal throne, together with bishops and other clergy.
After the liturgy, a memorial service was to be held for Ilia II, who served as Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazia.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze attended the service at Sioni Cathedral. He was joined by Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, Mikheil Kavelashvili, members of the cabinet and lawmakers.
Ilia II died on March 17 and was buried on March 22 at Sioni Cathedral, one of the Georgian Orthodox Church’s most important churches.
The 40th day after death is a major memorial moment in the Orthodox Christian tradition, and Saturday’s service was one of the most important public church events in Georgia since the patriarch’s funeral.
Ilia II was one of the most recognizable public figures in Georgia for decades and polls repeatedly showed him as the most trusted person. His death has left the Georgian Orthodox Church in a period of transition, with Metropolitan Shio now serving as the temporary holder of the patriarchal throne.
The Georgian Orthodox Church remains one of the country’s most influential institutions, and major church events often draw both religious leaders and top political figures.
