The Public Relations Service of the Georgian Patriarchate issues a statement noting that from today, every day for 40 days, clergy at the Sioni Cathedral will begin performing memorial services accompanied by chanters for the repose of His Holiness`s soul.

"With the blessing of the Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne, Metropolitan Shio (Mujiri) of Senaki and Chkhorotsku, from today, every day for 40 days, at the Sioni Patriarchal Cathedral in Tbilisi, clergy will begin performing memorial services at the grave of His Holiness and Beatitude, the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi, and Metropolitan of Bichvinta and Tskhum-Abkhazeti, Ilia II, for the repose of his soul, accompanied by chanters.

Believers will be able to enter the cathedral and pay their respects at the Patriarch`s grave every day from 08:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

Divine services will be performed daily in the cathedral. Considering this, memorial services by the clergy will be offered continuously from 11:00 AM to 04:00 PM and from 06:00 PM to 10:00 PM", - reads the statement.