Bishop Vasily attends funeral of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II

Bishop Vasily attends funeral of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II

On Sunday, March 22, His Grace Bishop Vasily of San Francisco and the West attended the funeral of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, who fell asleep in the Lord on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at the age of 93, after nearly fifty years of patriarchal service in the Georgian Orthodox Church.

His Grace accompanied His Beatitude, Metropolitan Tikhon, the Primate of the Orthodox Church in America.  Also accompanying His Beatitude was Archpriest Daniel Andrejuk, Dean of the Representation Church of the Holy Great Martyr Catherine in Moscow.

Upon arrival, His Beatitude and his Grace offered a litiya for the repose of the Patriarch at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi.  His Beatitude expressed the prayers and fraternal solidarity of the Orthodox Church in America during this time of mourning.

On Sunday, March 22, His Beatitude and the OCA delegation attended the Divine Liturgy and funeral service at Holy Trinity Cathedral. Our hierarchs attended the services alongside the primates and representatives of the local Orthodox Churches, as well as delegations from around the world, bearing witness to the deep respect and love held for the late Patriarch not only in Georgia but throughout the Orthodox world.

His Grace, Bishop Vasily notes the deep connection between the Christ-loving Georgian people in many parishes of the Diocese of the West and the ancient Georgian Orthodox Church, and expresses his deep condolences and the hope of the Resurrection on the occasion of the falling asleep of His Holiness, Patriarch Ilia.

While enroute to Tbilisi, His Grace blessed Archpriest Kirill Sokolov, Chancellor of the Diocese of the West, to sign the book of condolences in honor of the newly departed at the Consulate General of Georgia in San Francisco.

His Grace, Bishop Vasily returns to the Diocese on Monday evening.