A Vatican delegation arrived at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, where the civil funeral of the Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia, Ilia II, is taking place.

The members of the delegation paid tribute to the memory of the Patriarch and expressed condolences to the Georgian Orthodox Church on behalf of the Catholic Church. Among them, the Apostolic Nuncio and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Georgia, Archbishop Ante Jozic, was present at the Holy Trinity Cathedral; as well as the Apostolic Administrator of the Latin Catholics of the Caucasus, Bishop Giuseppe Pasotto.

"On behalf of the Catholic Church, I would like to express my condolences to the Orthodox Church, to all Georgians. Today we were here with people of different confessions, it was a good sign, because in this way we showed that the Patriarch was attentive to all confessions. We are obliged to pray for him," said Giuseppe Pazoto.

At this moment, representatives of various religious minorities are gathering in the Trinity Cathedral, where the Patriarch's funeral is taking place.

His Holiness and Beatitude, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi, Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazia, Ilia II died on March 17. He was laid to rest in the Trinity Cathedral on March 18. Since then, the flow of citizens to the funeral has not stopped. The Patriarch will be buried on Sunday, March 22, in Sioni Cathedral.