His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, has suspended Archimandrite Ilia (Toloraia) from priestly duties.

The eparchial commission approached the Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia with the relevant recommendation.

As stated in the Patriarch’s decree, the Archimandrite is prohibited from exercising priestly duties for verbal insults to a bishop and, more generally, for slanderous statements against the Church hierarchy.

“To the Patriarchate of All Georgia. The clergyman of the Holy Trinity Patriarchal Lavra, Archimandrite Ilia (Toloraia), is prohibited from exercising priestly duties, based on the eparchial commission’s recommendation, for verbal insults to a bishop and, more generally, for slanderous statements against the Church hierarchy, until he demonstrates sincere repentance,” states the Catholicos-Patriarch’s decree.