“The Patriarch possessed wisdom; he did not distinguish between former and current officials. It is very unfortunate that even at a moment of nationwide mourning, this wise and just approach is being so rudely violated. Now, in the Holy Trinity Cathedral, where at least two former presidents should stand in an appropriate place of honor, there was an attempt to taint the funeral procession with partisan considerations,” wrote politician Armaz Akhvlediani on social media, commenting on the funeral ceremony of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II.

Akhvlediani notes that Ilia II would not have approved of this, especially the fact that “it seems you want a new Patriarch to be selected according to your narrow, conjunctural views!”

“Throughout his entire patriarchal service, for the first time, on April 12, 2015, Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II decided to hold the Easter liturgy at Svetitskhoveli Cathedral.

At dawn, we were invited to a banquet at the nearby Patriarchal residence, attended by Prime Minister Garibashvili and other government officials, as well as U.S. Ambassador Richard Norland and his wife (the Norland couple stood throughout the entire service, for almost five hours, with great dedication). At the Patriarch’s request, one of the bishops acted as toastmaster and offered a toast to the government. At that moment, unexpectedly, the Patriarch stopped him and reminded him that Nino Burjanadze, who was present at the table, was also part of the state leadership, and he asked the bishop to include her in the toast as well.

Such wisdom the Patriarch possessed—he did not distinguish between former and current officials. It is deeply regrettable that even at the moment of national mourning, this wise and just line is being so rudely violated, and now in the Holy Trinity Cathedral, where at least two former presidents should stand in their rightful place of honor, there was an attempt to spoil the funeral procession with partisan considerations.

Ilia II would not have approved of this—especially the fact that it seems you want a new Patriarch to be chosen according to your narrow, partisan views!

I believe that not a single conscientious bishop in the Holy Synod will allow such a choice to be made in contradiction to the memory and legacy of His Holiness the Patriarch and, most importantly, without regard for the will of God! They will not allow the strengthening of the Russian line within the Georgian Apostolic Church; rather, they will fully free it from it!” Akhvlediani wrote.