Thousands of Georgians bid farewell to Orthodox Patriarch Ilya II

TIFLIS, Georgia.—The Georgian patriarch Ilia IIprimacy of the Georgian Orthodox Church for longer than any of his predecessors – almost half a century – and died on March 17, he was buried today in the Sioni Cathedralin the center of Tbilisiamid heartfelt displays of pain and regret from his faithful.

Between ringing of bells and songs of Hallelujah, the Orthodox hierarch was deposited in his final resting place after a procession of more than two hours.

Hundreds of thousands of Georgians flocked to the country’s main cathedral, the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Tbilisi, to say goodbye to the most influential personality of recent decades.

“He was a luminous man who preached love,” he comments. Lana Khelashvilia parishioner from Tbilisi, unable to hold back her tears.

Between both cathedrals – the last path of the patriarch – there are more than two kilometers and this entire route is packed with parishioners, while soldiers with flags ensure order.
Inga Albórovaa resident of Tbilisi, confesses that she queued for more than ten hours to say goodbye to the Orthodox hierarch.

“A miracle happened. My legs hurt a lot after a fall several days ago. When I left the cathedral there was no pain left, it was completely relieved,” she said excitedly.

The metropolitan Nikoloz Pachuashvilisenior hierarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, announced the upcoming canonization of Ilyá II: “love and popular recognition have a key influence on these types of decisions.”

“Sent by the Almighty”

He father johna priest of the Georgian Orthodox Church, says excitedly that “people like Ilya II are born once every millennium. He was sent to Georgia by the Almighty.”

Among those who bid farewell to the Patriarch were approximately 50,000 of his godchildren, born after Ilya II promised to personally baptize every third and subsequent child of each family to improve the demographic situation of the Caucasian nation.

In Georgia, with a population of 3.9 million, 90% are Christians.

He Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew He attended the funeral of Ilyá II.

The Vatican delegation was headed by cardenal Kurt Kochpresident of Pontifical Council for Christian Unitywhile the Secretary of State of USA, Marco Rubioand numerous politicians and church primates around the world expressed their condolences.

All the leaders of Georgia, whose government signed a Concordat with Ilya II in 2002, recognizing the relevant role of the Orthodox Church in the history and development of the country, also attended the funeral ceremony.

Resurgence of the Georgian Orthodox Church

Ilya II played a crucial role in strengthening the Georgian Church: when he assumed his leadership, there were only fifty-two churches in the country, while today there are more than two thousand.

During the Soviet timesGeorgian churches became secret meeting places for dissidents, whom Georgian priests did not report to the authorities.

The billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvilifounder and chairman of the ruling Georgian Dream party since 2012, generously funded and continues to fund the reconstruction of monasteries and the construction of new ones.

Ilya II is considered to have been personally responsible for the recognition of the autocephaly of the Georgian Church by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1990.

During the five-day Georgian-Russian war in August 2008, Ilia II personally led a mission of Georgian Orthodox Church clerics that cleared the remains of Georgian soldiers from the battlefields in South Ossetiadespite the fact that the government at that time failed to reach an agreement with the opposing side.

Likewise, at the initiative of the Patriarch, since 2014 Georgia has celebrated the Family Sanctity Daywhich contrast with International Day against Homophobia.

Irakli Georguievich Gudushauri-Shiolashvili (as Ilya was called), was born on January 4, 1933 in North Ossetia. He graduated from Moscow seminaries and theological academies in the 1950s and 1960s.

Eight of his predecessors are buried in Sioni, next to the cross of Santa Ninowho converted Georgia to Christianity in the 4th century.

“I will never forget my meeting with the Patriarch and his blessing. My condolences to all of Georgia,” said the forward of the Villarreal Giorgi Mikautadze.

On the last day of La Liga, he scored one of his team’s three goals against Real Sociedad (3-1) and dedicated the victory to the memory of Iliá II, crossing himself and looking up to heaven.