Father Shalva Kekelia, speaking at the Patriarchate, reflected on the life and legacy of His Holiness and Beatitude, Ilia II, emphasizing the spiritual and moral impact of his life.

“A huge era has ended with His Holiness, but in heaven it continues. I ask everyone who has ever spoken badly of him, said something wrong, to ask for forgiveness. This is for your own sake; His Holiness does not need forgiveness or pardon. He lived for us. His Holiness desired to be with God. He worked and strived spiritually to earn eternal salvation. Just as a candle is lit before prayer, so did His Holiness descend into the love of our country – for everyone.

I spent many years with him, and I never remember him insulting anyone or saying a bad word about anyone. When he saw people speaking badly of him on television, he would say to me: ‘Father, write down their names.’ One time, two people were insulting him on TV. I switched the channel so he wouldn’t hear it, and he said, ‘Leave it on, I want to watch.’ He watched for half an hour how they cursed him. After the meal, he told me, ‘Write down their names. They are my children, and I am responsible for them. I must pray for them specially so their souls are not lost. God entrusted their souls to me; I am their patriarch.’ I do not know of anyone like that.

The Patriarch would pray every morning at 6:00. One morning, doctors asked me to bring him back to the cella so he could rest before his 10:00 appointments. He came out at 6:00 anyway and said, ‘When I give the prayer-blessing at 7:00, I told those who pray at 6:00 that I will pray with them. How can I deceive those people? I must stand and pray for them.’

We cannot imagine the kind of epochal person we were in contact with. I ask everyone who has ever spoken ill of him to seek forgiveness. You need it, he does not. Everything that happened with the Patriarchate, with the Patriarch, was under his guidance. We all grew under his hand. He taught us only one thing: love, warmth, and self-mastery.

We are all blessed by the Patriarch. I came to His Holiness at the age of 17, and I have spent 30 years with him. Thanks to God, I had the chance to live during his era, during his patriarchate. God gave me this opportunity to live with him,” said Father Shalva Kekelia.

Father Shalva also emphasized the Patriarch’s love for Georgia:

“This cross is his gift. In the ICU, it was on his heart. His heartbeat could be heard. Christ hears the heartbeat of our hearts. His heart beat with love for our homeland. I cannot believe someone can love Georgia but harbor ill will toward the Patriarch. If someone speaks ill of him, they do not love the country. The Patriarch loved this country immensely, and if you love your homeland, you must love all who love it. His entire life was dedicated to this. Truly, he descended like a candle for this country.”

Regarding international visitors, Father Shalva noted:

“Many clergy from abroad will come. I have been to many countries, met many church members, and all said the same thing: the Patriarch is a universal patriarch. He is recognized as the greatest patriarch. During the pandemic, while everyone else closed churches, he did not. When told, ‘Your Holiness, you must close the churches,’ he said: ‘All my life I have told people to come to church, and no word from my mouth will tell them not to come. I became Patriarch to bring people into the church.’ The whole world knows this. He is deeply respected and loved, not only by Orthodox Christians but by people of all religions. Everyone loved him, and when people met the Patriarch, they felt an extraordinary love for him.”