US secretary of state offers condolences on death of Georgia’s Patriarch Ilia II

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has expressed condolences following the death of Ilia II, the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia.

In an official statement, Rubio said the United States “mourns the passing of His Holiness Ilia II” and extended “sincere condolences to the Georgian people, as well as to the faithful of the Georgian Orthodox Church.”

He noted that Ilia II’s “spiritual leadership and enduring legacy will be remembered by future generations,” concluding the message with a wish that the Patriarch “rest in peace.”