Georgian Orthodox Patriarch Ilia II, hailed as an "epochal figure", dies at 93 - the Euronews publishes an article with such a title.

"Georgian Orthodox Church leader Ilia II died on Tuesday at 93, the church said, after nearly five decades at the helm of one of Georgia’s most powerful institutions.

Ilia II was hospitalised on Tuesday morning in critical condition with “mass bleeding from the stomach", the director of the Caucasus Medical Centre, Sopio Aspanidze, said.

"The Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, has reposed in the Lord", Metropolitan Shio Mujiri, who will lead the church until the election of a new patriarch, said.

"He was an epochal figure; it is a tremendous loss for the entire Orthodox Church", he added.

Ilia II led the Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church since 1977, when the Caucasus country was part of the Soviet Union and religious practices were restricted, making him one of the world"s longest-serving religious leaders.

A new patriarch is set to be elected within two months", - reads the article.