Armenian authorities bar Catholicos from attending Patriarch Ilia’s funeral

Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II. Photo: Today News

On March 21, 2026, Karekin II was prevented from leaving for Tbilisi to attend the funeral of Patriarch Ilia II of All Georgia. The news was reported by lawyer Ara Zohrabyan and relayed by the VERELQ information and analytical center.

According to the lawyer, the Catholicos’ chancellery had received an official invitation from the Georgian Patriarchate to take part in the mourning events and the Divine Liturgy scheduled for March 22.

Zohrabyan said he had filed a motion seeking temporary permission for the Catholicos to leave the country, arguing that the head of the Armenian Church should be present at a time of mourning in a neighboring state. The investigator, however, rejected the request and refused to lift the travel ban.

The lawyer stressed that such a decision could harm Armenia’s international image. Earlier, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan had said that Karekin II’s participation in the funeral of the Georgian Patriarch was not under consideration.

As previously reported, the travel ban is linked to a criminal case opened against the Catholicos in February.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Patriarch Ilia II of Georgia had reposed in the Lord.

Read also