Vatican delegation led by Cardinal Kurt Koch to attend funeral of Georgian Patriarch Ilia II

According to information provided by the Vatican Embassy, a high-level delegation from the Vatican, led by Cardinal Kurt Koch, the Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, will visit Georgia to attend the funeral of Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II.

Cardinal Koch will be accompanied by several prominent clergy members, including: Monsignor Jaromír Ladrappa, official of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity; Archbishop Ante Jozić, Apostolic Nuncio and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Georgia; Monsignor Alexandre Rahinya, adviser to the Papal envoy in Georgia; Bishop Giuseppe Pasotto, Apostolic Administrator of Latin Catholics in the Caucasus; Monsignor Gevorg Noradounghian, Armenian Catholic Ordinary of Eastern Europe based in Yerevan.

Cardinal Koch is no stranger to Georgia. He first visited the country in late 2014, when he met with Zaza Vashakmadze, head of the State Agency for Religious Affairs. During that meeting, they discussed key issues related to the Catholic Church, including the financing of religious denominations and the construction of a Catholic church in Rustavi. His second visit took place in 2016.