Patriarch Ilia II, whose nearly five decades of rule have marked the growing influence of the Georgian Orthodox Church, has died at the age of 93, nearly a day after he was hospitalized amid deteriorating health, Metropolitan Shio Mujiri, Patriarchal locum tenens, announced late on March 17.
He died in the Caucasus Medical Center, a hospital in Tbilisi, where he had spent the past hours in intensive care after being admitted in the early hours with heavy stomach bleeding. The news of his death follows years of declining health, which had reduced his public appearances and services.
“He was an epochal figure. This is a great loss for the Orthodox Church worldwide. I want to extend my condolences to every Georgian, to all of Georgia, our Church, and the entire Christian world,” Metropolitan Shio told journalists gathered at the hospital around 22:45 local time amid reports of the Patriarch’s passing. “Through him, through his labors, God brought Georgia back to the faith,” the cleric said, noting that the Patriarch had died “minutes ago.”
Metropolitan Shio, who was named by Ilia II as his locum tenens in 2017, will assume the late Patriarch’s duties before the election of a new Patriarch by an extended church assembly.
The rule of Ilia II, who became Patriarch in 1977, under Soviet rule, at the age of 44, has spanned Georgia’s major historical milestones, including the restoration of independence in 1991. Under his leadership, the Georgian Orthodox Church has become one of the country’s most influential institutions, with roughly 83% of the population identifying with it across political divides in an otherwise deeply polarized society.
A widely revered figure, Ilia II has consistently topped approval rankings in Georgia, while the Church has likewise retained the status of the country’s most trusted institution.
His rule was also marked by controversies, including scandals linked to internal power struggles, persistent questions surrounding the foreign policy leanings of the Church and its domestic political stances, as well as criticism over the state granting the Church preferential treatment, among others.
Rule Marked by Respect, Influence, and Controversies
Born in Vladikavkaz on January 4, 1933, as Irakli Shiolashvili, Ilia entered the monastic order in 1957. He was appointed the Patriarch’s Chorepiscopus in 1963, elevated to Metropolitan in 1969, and named Patriarchal Locum Tenens in November 1977, following the passing of Patriarch Davit V. In December 1977, he was elected Catholicos-Patriarch, becoming the 141st Primate of the Georgian Orthodox Church.
His rise through the clerical ranks coincided with a shift away from earlier Soviet repressive policies cracking down on religion, as political discourses came to increasingly position Orthodox Christianity as a central element of Georgian national identity.
The trend became especially pronounced in the years of national movement during the 1980s and 1990s, leading to Georgia’s regained independence. That came despite the Patriarch’s known strained relations with the movement’s leader, Zviad Gamsakhurdia, and his controversial role during the April 1989 demonstrations, when he urged protesters to disperse shortly before Soviet troops carried out a deadly crackdown.
The Church’s influence was further consolidated in the decades that followed, including through the country’s Constitution, which recognized its “outstanding role” in Georgia’s history and affirmed its independence from the state. The 2002 Constitutional Agreement, often referred to as the “Concordat,” grants the Church a range of benefits, including legal immunity for the Patriarch, tax exemptions, and preferential terms in the transfer or acquisition of state property. It also recognizes a commitment by the state to pay compensation for damages suffered by the Church under Soviet rule.
During the past decades, however, the Church has faced repeated controversies.
These included the Church’s stance on the rights of women and LGBTQI+ groups, notably the May 2013 violence and the introduction of “Family Purity Day”; the so-called “cyanide” case, in which a priest was arrested on allegations of plotting to murder the Patriarch’s assistant; the 2021 leaks suggesting state surveillance of the clergy; and a controversy related to children’s rights at the Church-run Ninotsminda orphanage.
Foreign policy attitudes have drawn further scrutiny, particularly persistent questions about relations with the Russian Orthodox Church. The Patriarch’s repeated visits to Moscow took place amid parallel trips by senior clergymen to the United States. While the Patriarch has openly endorsed Georgia’s path toward EU integration, the Church has also voiced opposition to certain policies associated with Brussels, including EU concerns over LGBTQ rights in Georgia.
In the late 2000s, the Patriarch called for the restoration of a constitutional monarchy in Georgia and went on to endorse a marriage between two royal descendants. These efforts, however, ultimately proved unsuccessful.
Over the past years, the church has also openly backed the policies of the ruling Georgian Dream party amid its increasingly conservative, anti-democratic drifts, including those related to proposals to curb activities of civil society groups and the queer community. In 2024, however, high-ranking clerics turned down the ruling party’s campaign proposal to make Orthodox Christianity a state religion, making clear that the Church was content with existing privileges.
What Now?
Under the Church’s Statute of Administration adopted in 1995, a new Patriarch is elected by an extended church assembly from three candidates nominated by the Holy Synod, no sooner than 40 days and no later than two months after the Patriarch’s passing. While the extended assembly includes both clerical and lay delegates, only Church hierarchs participate in the vote to elect the Catholicos-Patriarch. A candidate who receives more than 50 percent of the votes is elected Patriarch. If none of the candidates secures the required majority, runoff rounds are held.
The new Patriarch must be “Georgian by nationality,” between 40 and 70 years of age, a hierarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, possess a theological education and sufficient experience in church governance, and be a monk.
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Last updated: March 18, 00:22 Tbilisi time.
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