Bishop Vasily attends funeral of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II
Bishop Vasily attends funeral of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II
On Sunday, March 22, His Grace Bishop Vasily of San Francisco and the West attended the funeral of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, who fell asleep in the Lord on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the age of 93, after nearly fifty years of patriarchal service in the Georgian Orthodox Church.
His Grace accompanied His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon, the Primate of the Orthodox Church in America. Also accompanying His Beatitude was Archpriest Daniel Andrejuk, Dean of the Representation Church of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine in Moscow.
Upon arrival, His Beatitude and his Grace offered a litiya for the repose of the Patriarch at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi. His Beatitude expressed the prayers and fraternal solidarity of the Orthodox Church in America during this time of mourning.
On Sunday, March 22, His Beatitude and the OCA delegation attended the Divine Liturgy and funeral service at Holy Trinity Cathedral. Our hierarchs attended the services alongside the primates and representatives of the local Orthodox Churches, as well as delegations from around the world, bearing…
