Five heads of Orthodox Churches are currently in Georgia to attend the funeral ceremony of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, at the Holy Trinity (Sameba) Cathedral in Tbilisi.
Among those present are the Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch, His All-Holiness Bartholomew I; the Patriarch of All Bulgaria, His Holiness Daniel; the Archbishop of All Albania, His Beatitude John; the Metropolitan of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, His Beatitude Rastislav; and Metropolitan Tikhon of America.
In addition, delegations from other Orthodox Churches have arrived in Georgia to pay their respects to the late Patriarch.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I has already arrived at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, where he is concelebrating the funeral service together with the Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne, Metropolitan Shio (Mujiri) of Senaki and Chkhorotsku, and members of the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church.
The Divine Liturgy at Sameba Cathedral began at 09:00 this morning and is being celebrated by Metropolitan Shio along with members of the Holy Synod.
The Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Ilia II, passed away at the age of 93. A nationwide day of mourning has been declared in Georgia in connection with his death.
He will be laid to rest today, March 22, at the Sioni Cathedral in Tbilisi.
