UAR President extends condolences to  Georgian side on passing of  Ilia II

ArmInfo.  Ara Abrahamyan, President of the Union of Armenians of Russia, has extended condolences to the Georgian side on the death of Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II. As reported by the press service of the UAR,  the funeral message addressed to David Tsetskhladze, President of the  All-Russian public organization "Federal Georgian National-Cultural  Autonomy in Russia," reads as follows: "The Union of Armenians of  Russia mourns  the passing of His Holiness and Beatitude  Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II of All Georgia.

Our All-Merciful Lord has called His faithful servant to himself, who stood for half a century at the helm of one of the most ancient Christian churches-the  Georgian Orthodox Church.

And all this time, he never ceased to be the highest spiritual and  moral authority for every Georgian- believer or not. For the  primatial mission, entrusted only to God's chosen ones, illuminates  the path to Truth for all. Prayerfully fulfilling his sacred mission,  Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II was always inseparable from his people,  guiding and protecting them from all sorts of upheavals during the  difficult times facing the current generation of the Georgian people,  becoming the conscience of the nation and a symbol of all- conquering  spirituality. In this  hour of grief, our feelings are also troubled,  for if the brotherly Georgian people are in trouble, then so are we,  Armenians. Please accept our deepest condolences, which are  addressed, through you, to all Georgians."