Andria Jagmaidze, head of the Public Relations Department of the Georgian Patriarchate, says citizens who were unable to bid farewell to Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II during the mourning days will still have the opportunity to do so today.

According to him, people will be able to pay their respects both during the service at the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi and along the funeral procession route.

“The funeral procession will take place at 15:00. Before that, considering that many people were unable to reach the Trinity Cathedral during the mourning days, a small corridor will be arranged inside the cathedral during the service, allowing parishioners to continuously enter and pay their respects to the Patriarch. I know there is great public interest. Of course, restrictions will be tighter than on previous days, but access will not be completely closed,” Jagmaidze said.

He added that during the funeral procession, citizens will also be able to stand along designated areas and say their final farewell.

“During the procession, people will be able to stand outside in corridors arranged on both sides. The procession will move toward the Sioni Cathedral, and along this route citizens will be able to meet the Patriarch on his final journey. The corridors will be organized with barriers,” Jagmaidze noted.

Ilia II, the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, passed away on March 17 at the age of 93. The Patriarch will be laid to rest at Sioni Cathedral.