The funeral ceremony of Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II is taking place in Tbilisi.

The funeral ceremony of Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II (in the world Irakli Gudushauri-Shiolashvili) is taking place in Tbilisi. Footage from the scene of the March 22 events is published by Izvestia.

"Hundreds of people have been gathering in the courtyard of Sameba Cathedral since early morning. The queue stretched for hundreds of meters. The flow of people here has not stopped all these days. The farewell went on 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 police and military units have been deployed near the Avlabari metro station, and special corridors have been organized. Speakers are installed around the perimeter, and a message of condolences from the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia sounds.

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On March 17, the Georgian Imedi TV channel reported that Ilia II died at the age of 94 in a clinic. The Patriarch of All Georgia was elected to the throne on December 23, 1977, and two days later he was enthroned. Later it became known that his funeral will be held on March 22 at the Zion Cathedral in Tbilisi.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.