Funeral ceremony of Ilia II underway at Holy Trinity Cathedral [Photo/Video]

The funeral ceremony of Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi, and Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazia, is underway at the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi.

The service in the cathedral began at 9:00 a.m. From 12:15 p.m., the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople–New Rome, Bartholomew I of Constantinople, together with Metropolitan Shio and members of the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church, will perform the burial service for the late Patriarch.

Georgia’s Prime Minister, President, the Mayor of Tbilisi, and other government representatives are already present at the cathedral.

Ilia II will be laid to rest later today at the Sioni Cathedral. Only clergy will be allowed to attend the burial ceremony.

The Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia passed away on March 17 at the age of 93.