Activists at the Georgian Parliament honored the memory of Ilia II.

Participants in the daily protest outside the Georgian Parliament lit candles in memory of the Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia, Ilia II, who was buried today.

As the "Caucasian Knot" reported, on March 19, the 476th day of continuous protests, oppositionists cancelled the planned weekend marches in Tbilisi and Kutaisi in connection with the death of Patriarch Ilia II. At the rally on March 20, supporters of Georgia's European integration reiterated their refusal to recognize the Georgian Dream as the legitimate government.

On Rustaveli Avenue, supporters of European integration gathered outside the Georgian Parliament for the 480th consecutive day today. As seen in photos published on the Facebook page* of photographer Mo Se, participants held Georgian and European Union flags, and many lit candles in memory of the Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia, Ilia II, who was buried today.

The Catholicos-Patriarch, Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi, Metropolitan of Bichvinti and Tskhum-Abkhazeti, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, was buried in Tbilisi on Sunday, the fifth day of national mourning. Entertainment events were canceled throughout the country, and a steady stream of people flocked to the coffin of the head of the Church around the clock, according to Novosti Georgia.

On the afternoon of March 22, the coffin with the body of the Catholicos-Patriarch was transferred from the Holy Trinity Church – Sameba – to the Sioni Cathedral, one of the oldest churches in Tbilisi, whose history dates back approximately 14 centuries. The procession moved along the streets along its entire length, passing through a living corridor of people who came to see off the head of the church on his final journey. To ensure that everyone could say goodbye to the Patriarch, the authorities made public transportation in the capital and train and bus tickets from the regions free.

At the time of Ilia II's burial, funeral bells rang in all churches across Georgia.

12:54 March 20, 2026

Social media users debate the role of Patriarch Ilia II

The figure of Patriarch Ilia II is perceived as a symbol of faith and national unity in Georgia, social media users noted. Some users believe the patriarch's role is ambiguous, while others urged people to refrain from judgment and show respect for his death.

Ilia II led the Georgian Orthodox Church for nearly five decades. He held the throne during the period of stagnation, perestroika, the collapse of the USSR, the acquisition of independence, and civil and territorial wars.

National mourning was declared in Georgia in connection with the death of Patriarch Ilia II on March 17. Ilia II (January 4, 1933 - March 17, 2026) was the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, a post he held for 49 years, and the Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi. His real name is Irakli Georgievich Gudushauri-Shiolashvili, according to the biographical information prepared by the "Caucasian Knot."