Metr. Tikhon and Bp. Vasily Attend Funeral of Patr. Ilia II
Metr. Tikhon and Bp. Vasily stood together in Tbilisi to honor a Patriarch revered across the Orthodox world.
TBILISI, GEORGIA — His Beatitude Metr. Tikhon and His Grace Bp. Vasily attended the funeral of Patr. Ilia II together on Sunday, March 22, following the Georgian primate’s repose on March 17 at the age of 93 after nearly fifty years of service. They were joined by Archpriest Daniel Andrejuk.
Arriving in Tbilisi as part of a unified delegation of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA), Metr. Tikhon and Bp. Vasily were received by representatives of the Georgian Orthodox Church led by Bp. Saba. The delegation was escorted to the Holy Trinity Cathedral, where the late Patriarch lay in state. There, the hierarchs offered a litya for the repose of his soul and conveyed condolences to Metr. Shio, along with clergy and faithful.
On Sunday, both hierarchs attended the Divine Liturgy celebrated by Metr. Shio, followed by the funeral service presided over by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. They stood alongside primates and representatives from across the Orthodox world, bearing witness to the deep love and respect for the late Patriarch and affirming the unity of the Church in prayer.
Previously, the UOJ reported that Bp. Vasily presided over the Patristic Nectar Conference on the Sunday of the Cross.
