MOSCOW, March 22. /TASS/. Russian Special Presidential Representative for International Cultural Cooperation Mikhail Shvydkoi conveyed President Vladimir Putin’s deep condolences to the Georgian clergy and people at the funeral of Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II, the Kremlin’s press office reported.

"Russian Special Presidential Representative for International Cultural Cooperation Mikhail Shvydkoi was present at the funeral of Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II and conveyed the Russian leader’s deep condolences to the clergy and people of Georgia," the press office said in a statement.

Ilia II was elected Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia in 1977. He was a graduate of the Moscow Theological Seminary. During the years of his spiritual leadership, the number of eparchies of the Georgian Orthodox Church increased to 47 from 15. The name of Ilia II is associated with the construction of Georgia’s largest church, the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Tbilisi, which was opened in 2004.

Ilia II died on the evening of March 17 at a Tbilisi hospital at the age of 93. Georgia announced mourning for the late Georgian patriarch before the day of his funeral.