Georgian Parliament Speaker: The patriarch united people around the Church
Shalva Papuashvili said the departed Primate’s greatest dream was to see the nation united in Christ and stressed that Ilia II bore the heaviest cross of his people.
On March 22, 2026, Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili delivered a speech at the burial ceremony of Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II at the Holy Trinity Cathedral. The politician said that the Primate’s greatest dream was to see his people united in the Church of Christ. This was reported by a Georgian media outlet.
Papuashvili said that Ilia II had accomplished what seemed impossible. According to the speaker, as a Christian he fulfilled the law of Christ, as a monk he preserved his vow, and as Patriarch he carried through the decades the heaviest cross of his nation. The head of parliament stressed that although the Primate’s earthly path has come to an end, his love for his flock has remained unchanged, and today the whole people responds to him with the same gratitude.
The story of Ilia II’s life does not end here. In Papuashvili’s view, the Primate’s legacy will be continued by the next generation – his many godchildren and spiritual children, who will carry his blessing into the future. The politician called the Patriarch a bridge between eras who succeeded in firmly binding the Georgian nation together. He concluded his remarks with the words of prayer, “Great are You, O Lord, and wondrous are Your works,” and expressed hope that Ilia II’s intercession would protect all of Georgia.
The UOJ is conducting a live online broadcast of the events.
