Ecumenical Patriarch: no one identified so closely with Georgia, church and nation as Ilia II

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I has paid tribute to late Georgian Patriarch Ilia II, saying few figures in history have so closely identified themselves with their country, church and people.

Speaking at the funeral ceremony at the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi, Bartholomew I described Ilia II as a uniquely unifying figure whose legacy was inseparable from Georgia’s statehood, spiritual life and role as a promoter of peace in the Caucasus.

“Perhaps none among the distinguished Catholicoi of the past so fully identified his name with Georgia, the Church, the nation and statehood, as well as with peace in the Caucasus region, as the ever-memorable Patriarch Ilia II,” he said.

The Ecumenical Patriarch added that Ilia II had been “a true pillar of strength” for both the Church and the homeland, sharing equally his love, devotion and daily care.

He noted that the Georgian Church had lost a wise leader who guided it for half a century, while the nation had lost a loving father and the state a trusted adviser and advocate of unity and peace.

Bartholomew I said the Patriarch’s life was marked by deep faith, moral authority and tireless service, stressing that his legacy would remain closely intertwined with Georgia’s identity and future.