Parishioners have been going to the Sioni Patriarchal Cathedral since morning to pay their respects to the tomb of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II.

According to Giorgi Vashalomidze, the priest of the Sioni Patriarchal Cathedral and Dean of the Tbilisi Theological Seminary, the cathedral will be open from morning until 8:00 PM.

It is during this period that citizens can pray at the resting place of the Catholicos-Patriarch.

"First of all, I would like to express my condolences to all of Georgia. We have gone through very difficult days, we are going through them, and we have repeatedly said that the entire nation is in mourning today. May God grant the Kingdom of Heaven to our Holiness the Patriarch. As you know, according to the will of His Holiness, he was buried in the Sioni Patriarchal Cathedral.

Today, parishioners will have the opportunity to come and pay respects to his grave if they wish. However, there will be certain restrictions. The temple will be open until approximately 20:00,” said priest Giorgi Vashalomidze.

According to him, the Patriarch was buried near the altar, which is “the most sacred place in the cathedral, therefore, his wish has been fulfilled.”

Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, died on March 17. His civil funeral was held in the Trinity Cathedral from March 18. Thousands of citizens paid tribute to the memory of His Holiness.

Ilia II was buried on March 22 in the Sioni Patriarchal Cathedral.