His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I said on Sunday in Tbilisi that no one had identified more closely with Georgia than Patriarch Ilia II of blessed memory.
In his address at the funeral service for Patriarch Ilia, His All-Holiness underscored the magnitude of the loss, stating: “How could we not deeply mourn the departure of a man of such stature, ethos, prestige and a life pleasing to God?”
He noted that the Church of Georgia had been deprived of its wise and worthy shepherd, while its hierarchy had lost “its foremost hierarch, rich in divine knowledge and pastoral experience”. At the same time, he emphasised that the state had lost “a wise counsellor” and “a promoter of peace and unity”.
Patriarch Ilia, a Pillar of the Church
His All-Holiness also addressed the Georgian people, describing them as “in mourning for the loss of a loving father”, who remained watchful until the end “for their spiritual strengthening and their well-being”.
The Ecumenical Patriarch highlighted the unique role of Patriarch Ilia II, stressing that “no one else among us in our times has so closely identified his name with Georgia, the Church and the nation”.
In conclusion, he described the late Primate as “a true pillar of the Church and of the homeland”, who distinguished his ministry through love, dedication and constant care for his people.
Photo: Ecumenical Patriarchate / Nikos Papachristou
