As previously reported, a delegation from Azerbaijan, led by Speaker of the Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova, visited Georgia to participate in the funeral ceremony of Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II.

This morning, at the ceremony held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi, the Azerbaijani delegation, led by Speaker Sahiba Gafarova, conveyed the deep sorrow and respect of the Azerbaijani people to the Georgian people.

The event was addressed by the Ecumenical Patriarch, as well as the President of Georgia, the Speaker of Parliament, the Prime Minister, and the Honorary Chairman of Georgian Dream, who spoke to those gathered in the cathedral.

The procession to bid farewell to the Patriarch began at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, with the Patriarch’s coffin escorted with special reverence to Sioni Cathedral. Funeral bells rang in churches across the country, and hundreds of thousands of people gathered in the streets to pay their final respects.

The Azerbaijani delegation includes Sheikhulislam Allahshukur Pashazade, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Office; Deputy Prime Minister Samir Sharifov; and a group of deputies from the Milli Majlis.