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The '''Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church''' is one of the world's most ancient Christian Churches, founded in the
1st century by the
Apostle Andrew.
==Christianity in the Georgia Kingdoms==
The
Apostle Andrew the First-called went to preach in Georgia with the Holy Mother's Uncreated Icon (an
icon of the Virgin Mary that tradition holds was not made by human hands). Affection for the
Theotokos runs very deep in Georgian Orthodox consciousness. Georgian Orthodox tradition holds that
Georgia is a country alloted to
Mary, Mother of Jesus and that she is the main protector and intercessor, thereof. Together with Saint Andrew, the
Gospel was preached in Western Georgia by the Holy Apostle
Simon the Canaanite who was then buried there near
Sukhumi, in the village of
Comani. Another Holy Apostle,
Saint Matthias, preached in the southwest of Georgia and was buried in
Gonio, a village not far from
Batumi. Some Christian sources point also to the fact of the Holy Apostles
Bartholomew and
Thaddeus being in Georgia.
The Apostle
Andrew established the first Georgian
Eparchy in
Atskuri (North-West Georgia).
The oldest Georgian church was constructed in the beginning of the
3rd century, in the village
Nastakisi (
Kartli region of Eastern Georgia).
Since
303, Equal-to-the-Apostles
Saint Nino of
Cappadocia (''left'') preached Christianity in the Georgian kingdom of
Iberia (Eastern Georgia). In
317 it was adopted as the state religion by the rulers of Iberia, King (later Saint)
Mirian and Queen (later Saint)
Nana. West Georgia, then part of the
Roman Empire, became Christianised in a gradual process that was largely complete by the
5th century. The country adopted
Saint George as its patron saint.
Georgian Christianity was heavily influenced by the form practiced in the
Byzantine Empire and is considered to be part of the wider tradition represented by the
Eastern Orthodox Church. From the 320s, the Georgian Orthodox Church was under the jurisdiction of the Apostolic See of
Antioch. The Georgian Orthodox Church become
autocephalous (independent) in
466 when the Patriarchate of Antioch elevated the
Bishop of
Mtskheta to the rank of
Catholicos of Kartli. In
1010 the Catholicos of Kartli was elevated to the honor of
Patriarch. From then on, the premier hierarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church carried the official title of
Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia.
Between the
6th and
9th centuries, Georgia underwent a cultural transformation as
monastiscism flourished. Important monasteries were founded at a number of locations, notably the
Iveron monastery on
Mount Athos in
Greece, where many important religious works were translated from Greek into Georgian. Significant works of hagiographic literature were also produced in Georgian, such as the "
Life of Saint Nino" and "
Martyrdom of the Holy Queen Shushanik".
Well-known centers of Christian culture included the
Georgian Monastery in
Sinai, the monastery complex (
Iveron) on
Mount Athos (the well-known "Wonderworking Iberian Icon of the Mother of God" is located in this Monastery), Georgian churches in the historic province
Tao-Klarjeti (part of
Turkey since the 16th century), the Georgian
Petritsoni Monastery in
Backovo (
Bulgaria),
Bagrati Cathedral,
Gelati Monastery and Academy,
Ikalto Monastery complex and Academy,
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, the monastery in
Martvili, and the monastic complex at
Davidgareja.
Outstanding Georgian representatives of the Christian culture included
Evagrius Ponticus (Evagre Pontoeli. 4th century),
Peter the Iberian (Petre Iberieli. 5th century),
Euthimius the Athonite (Ekvtime Atoneli. 955-1028),
Giorgi the Athonite (Giorgi Atoneli. 1009-1065),
Arsen Ikaltoeli (11th century), and
Ephraim the Lesser (Ephrem Mtsire. 11th century).
The invasions of
Genghis Khan in the
13th century and
Tamerlane in the
15th century greatly disrupted Georgian Christianity. Between the 15th and
18th centuries both church and state were divided into eastern and western parts, and accordingly the two parts of the Church were ruled by two Catholicos-Patriarchs. In
1801 the
Kartlian-Kakhetian Kingdom (Eastern Georgia) was occupied and annexed by the Tsarist
Russian Empire. In
1811, the autocephalous status of the Georgian Church was abolished by the Russian authorities, despite strong opposition in Georgia, and the Georgian Church was subjected to the synodical rule of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Georgian liturgy was suppressed and replaced with
Russian.
==The Georgian Orthodox Church in modern times==
Following the overthrow of the Tsar
Nicholas II in March
1917, Georgia's bishops unilaterally restored the autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church. These changes were not accepted by the Russian Orthodox Church or by the invading Soviets in
1921, who subjected the Georgian Orthodox Church to intense harassment. Hundreds of churches were closed by the government and hundreds of monks were killed during
Stalin's purges. The independence of the Georgian Orthodox Church was finally recognised by the Russian Orthodox Church in
1943, but it was still subjected to constant pressure and attrition in the post-war anti-religious campaigns of the Soviet authorities.
In
1989 the
Patriarch of Constantinople recognized and approved the Autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church - which had in practice been exercised since the
5th century - as well as the Patriarchal honor of the Catholicos. Georgia's subsequent independence in
1991 saw a major revival in the fortunes of the Georgian Orthodox Church.
About 82% of Georgia's population identified themselves as Georgian Orthodox in 2002 (the remainder being Muslim, Russian Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic). In 2002 it was reported that there were 35 dioceses and 512 churches within the Georgian Orthodox Church, served by 730 priests.
==Catholicos-Patriarchs of Georgia, 1917 to present==
The Georgian Orthodox Church is managed by the
Holy Synod. The Holy Synod is headed by the
Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, the first of whom was
Melkisedek I (
1010-
1033). Since
1977 his Holiness and Beatitude
Ilia II (born in
1932) has served as the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia and Archibishop of
Mtskheta and
Tbilisi.
*
Kirion II — (
1917-
1918)
*
Leonide — (
1918-
1921)
*
Ambrosi — (
1921-
1927)
*
Christefore III — (
1927-
1932)
*
Kalistrate — (
1932-
1952)
*
Melkisedek III — (
1952-
1960)
*
Efrem II — (
1960-
1972)
*
David V — (
1972-
1977)
*
Ilia II — (
1977 to present)
==See also==
*
Eastern Orthodox Church
*
Eastern Orthodoxy
*
History of Georgia
==Links and Resources==
*
Official Web Site of the Patriarchate of the Georgian Orthodox Church
*
Georgian Orthodox Church - Encyclopedia Britanica
*
The Orthodox News Service
*
Announcement of the Patriarchate of the Georgian Orthodox Church
*
Orthodox Church in America (OCA)
*
"Orthodox Church: Autocephalous Churches - Orthodox Church of Georgia", Catholic Near East Welfare Association--A Roman Catholic site
* Metropolitan Anania (Japaridze). "Christianity in Georgia".- in "It is Georgia" (collection of articles), Tbilisi, 2003, pp. 115-126 (in Georgian)
ja:グルジア正教会
