Georgia declares national mourning after Patriarch Ilia II’s death

Georgia has announced a period of national mourning until March 22 following the death of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II, the head of the Georgian Orthodox Church.

Ilia II will be buried at the Sioni Cathedral in Tbilisi on March 22, as decided by the Holy Synod of the Georgian Orthodox Church, per Georgian media.

A state commission will handle the organisational arrangements for the funeral. The Catholicos-Patriarch had requested to be interred at the Sioni Cathedral. 

Ilia II, the long‑time head of the Georgian Orthodox Church, died at the age of 93 after being hospitalised in critical condition with internal bleeding on March 17, 2026. He was widely regarded as a central spiritual and national figure, leading the Church since 1977.

Sources report that his passing marked the end of nearly five decades of ecclesiastical leadership and that temporary leadership has already been assumed while plans for electing a new patriarch are underway.

By Jeyhun Aghazada