Eid al-Fitr celebrations postponed in Georgia over Patriarch Ilia's death
Muslims in the country decided to postpone festive events as a sign of solidarity with Orthodox society, which is bidding farewell to its spiritual leader.
On March 21, 2026, Georgia’s Muslim community postponed the celebration of Eid al-Fitr in connection with the death of Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia. The decision was taken as a gesture of support for the country’s Christian population, which is passing through days of deep mourning, the Georgian branch of UOJ reports. Reuters and AP also reported Patriarch Ilia II’s death on March 17, 2026, at the age of 9
Georgia’s Mufti, Adam Shantadze, officially expressed condolences to the Christian community. Addressing the faithful, he spoke about the religious significance of Bayram and recalled that Muslims had observed a month-long fast, regarded in Islam as the most important spiritual period. Despite the postponement of the official festivities, festive prayers were still held in some mosques in Adjara, but no public celebrations took place out of respect for the memory of the departed Primate. This was also reported by regional coverage noting that Eid observances in Georgia were taking place against the backdrop of national mourning.
The UOJ is conducting a live online coverage of the events.
