Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Dies

Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II of All Georgia, the spiritual leader who led the Georgian Orthodox Church since 1977, has passed away. News of his death at the age of 93 was announced on March 17 from the intensive care unit of the Caucasus Medical Center.

Under his leadership, the Georgian Church experienced a period of strengthening its influence in society and the state following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Catholicos's role holds a special place in the memory of believers following the tragic events of April 9, 1989, in Tbilisi, when Ilia II held a memorial service for 21 dead peaceful demonstrators, declaring them victims of the freedom of their homeland. Among the significant events of his patriarchate was the visit of Pope Francis to Georgia in 2016.

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