“We have lost a father, but his prayers, teachings, and love for Georgia will remain eternal,” reads the statement published by Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili on the social platform X regarding the passing of Ilia II.

As Bochorishvili writes, Ilia II was not only a Patriarch, but also the spiritual pillar of the nation.

“Today, all of Georgia bows in sorrow. His Holiness Ilia II was not only a Patriarch, but also the spiritual and moral foundation of our nation, a guide for generations, a defender of faith, and a symbol of endurance.

We have lost a father, but his prayers, teachings, and love for Georgia will remain forever.

May his soul rest in peace, and may his legacy guide us into the future,” the statement says.