Bishopric of Ancha
Encyclopedia
The Bishopric of Ancha was one of the principal territorial jurisdictions of the medieval Georgian Orthodox Church in the province of Klarjeti
(now part of Turkey
), with its cathedral church at Ancha
(modern Anaçlı, Ardanuç
). It came in existence between the 7th and 9th centuries and had disappeared by the middle of the 17th century after the Ottoman
conquest of the area. The bishopric was a vibrant center of Georgian Christian culture and played a role in the regional politics. The cathedral of Ancha housed a celebrated gilded icon of the Savior
, which was transferred, in 1664, to the Georgian capital of Tbilisi
, in a church henceforth known as Anchiskhati, "the icon of Ancha".
in what is now Adjara
, Georgia
. The bishopric’s rise in prominence was closely related to the activities of the Twelve Lavras of Klarjeti, supervised by the archimandrite
Gregory of Khandzta
(759 –861), and later taken over by the bishop of Ancha himself. As of the 14th century, the bishop of Ancha – titled as Ancheli – ranked as the 3rd, after the bishops of Ishkhani and Atskuri, in the ecclesiastic hierarchy of the Principality of Samtskhe and as the 11th, between the bishops of Ishkhani and Tbeti, in the hierarchy of the kingdom of Georgia
.
to have been installed with the help of the Arab emir of Tbilisi
and, hence, overwhelmingly opposed and excommunicated by the Georgian monks of Klarjeti. In 1028, the bishop of Ancha and hymnist Ezra was among the fewest of the nobles of Tao-Klarjeti
who maintained loyalty to the Georgian king Bagrat IV
, whose realm was threatened by an invasion from the neighboring Byzantine Empire
. Later, during the twilight of the Georgian monarchy, the bishop Joseph of Ancha was allied with Prince Ioann of Samtskhe (r.
1391–1444) in his efforts to detach Samtskhe, both politically and ecclesiastically, from the rest of Georgia. The bishops of Ancha were intermittently able to break free of the Georgian catholicoi at Mtskheta
and were ordained by the bishops of Atskuri, who, in their turn, were invested directly by the Patriarch of Antioch
. However, a document from the latter half of the 15th century – in which the bishop Kerobin Abelisdze takes an oath of fealty to the Georgian catholicos David IV – testifies to the return of the bishopric of Ancha to the allegiance of the sea of Mtskheta. In 1551, the Ottomans invaded Samtskhe and Christianity went in gradual decline in the region. By the mid-17th century, the bishopric of Ancha had ceased to exist. Part of Christian relics kept there were evacuated to the safer areas of Georgia.
Klarjeti
Klarjeti was a province of ancient and medieval Georgia, which is currently part of the Artvin Province in northeastern Turkey. Klarjeti, the neighboring province of Tao and several other smaller districts constituted a larger region with shared history and culture conventionally known as...
(now part of Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
), with its cathedral church at Ancha
Ancha monastery
Ancha was a medieval Georgian monastery and cathedral church of the Bishopric of Ancha, located near what is now the village of Anaçlı, Artvin Province, Turkey. Purportedly once a cross-in-square design, the church now lies almost completely in ruins....
(modern Anaçlı, Ardanuç
Ardanuç
Ardanuç is a town and district of Artvin Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey located 32 km east of Artvin..- Geography :Ardanuç is a mountainous district, rising from 250 m in the Şavşat River basin up to the highest point, 3050 m Mount Çadır. Other high mountains are Kürdevan, Yalnızçam...
). It came in existence between the 7th and 9th centuries and had disappeared by the middle of the 17th century after the Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
conquest of the area. The bishopric was a vibrant center of Georgian Christian culture and played a role in the regional politics. The cathedral of Ancha housed a celebrated gilded icon of the Savior
Ancha icon
The Ancha Icon of the Savior, known in Georgia as Anchiskhati , is a medieval Georgian encaustic icon, traditionally considered to be the Keramidion, a "holy tile" imprinted with the face of Jesus Christ miraculously transferred by contact with the Image of Edessa...
, which was transferred, in 1664, to the Georgian capital of Tbilisi
Tbilisi
Tbilisi is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Mt'k'vari River. The name is derived from an early Georgian form T'pilisi and it was officially known as Tiflis until 1936...
, in a church henceforth known as Anchiskhati, "the icon of Ancha".
Role in church and culture
Ancha's diocesan territory covered much of Klarjeti, including the Artanuji area, the entirety of the Ligani valley and extended up to GonioGonio
Gonio fortress , is a Roman fortification in Adjara, on the Black sea, 15 km south of Batumi, at the mouth of the Chorokhi river. The village sits 4 km north of the Turkish border....
in what is now Adjara
Adjara
Adjara , officially the Autonomous Republic of Adjara , is an autonomous republic of Georgia.Adjara is located in the southwestern corner of Georgia, bordered by Turkey to the south and the eastern end of the Black Sea...
, Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
. The bishopric’s rise in prominence was closely related to the activities of the Twelve Lavras of Klarjeti, supervised by the archimandrite
Archimandrite
The title Archimandrite , primarily used in the Eastern Orthodox and the Eastern Catholic churches, originally referred to a superior abbot whom a bishop appointed to supervise...
Gregory of Khandzta
Gregory of Khandzta
Gregory of Khandzta was a prominent Georgian ecclesiastic figure and a founder and leader of numerous monastic communities in Tao-Klarjeti, historic southwest Georgia....
(759 –861), and later taken over by the bishop of Ancha himself. As of the 14th century, the bishop of Ancha – titled as Ancheli – ranked as the 3rd, after the bishops of Ishkhani and Atskuri, in the ecclesiastic hierarchy of the Principality of Samtskhe and as the 11th, between the bishops of Ishkhani and Tbeti, in the hierarchy of the kingdom of Georgia
Kingdom of Georgia
The Kingdom of Georgia was a medieval monarchy established in AD 978 by Bagrat III.It flourished during the 11th and 12th centuries, the so-called "golden age" of the history of Georgia. It fell to the Mongol invasions of the 13th century, but managed to re-assert sovereignty by 1327...
.
Political history
The hierarchs of Ancha played a prominent role in the regional politics. Thus, the 9th-century Tskiri, succeeding the first known bishop of Ancha Zachary, is known from the Vitae of St. Gregory of KhandztaGiorgi Merchule
thumb|Icon of Giorgi MerchuleGiorgi Merchule was a 10th-century Georgian monk and writer who authored "The Vita of Grigol Khandzteli", a hagiographic novel dealing with the life of the prominent Georgian churchman St. Grigol Khandzteli .Giorgi was a monk at the Georgian Orthodox monastery of...
to have been installed with the help of the Arab emir of Tbilisi
Emirate of Tbilisi
The Emirs of Tbilisi ruled over the parts of today’s eastern Georgia from their base in the city of Tbilisi, from 736 to 1080 . Established by the Arabs during their invasions of Georgian lands, the emirate was an important outpost of the Muslim rule in the Caucasus until recaptured by the...
and, hence, overwhelmingly opposed and excommunicated by the Georgian monks of Klarjeti. In 1028, the bishop of Ancha and hymnist Ezra was among the fewest of the nobles of Tao-Klarjeti
Tao-Klarjeti
Tao-Klarjeti is the term conventionally used in modern history writing to describe the historic south-western Georgian principalities, now forming part of north-eastern Turkey and divided among the provinces of Erzurum, Artvin, Ardahan and Kars...
who maintained loyalty to the Georgian king Bagrat IV
Bagrat IV of Georgia
Bagrat IV , of the Bagrationi dynasty, was the King of Georgia from 1027 to 1072. During his long and eventful reign, Bagrat sought to repress the great nobility and to secure Georgia's sovereignty from the Byzantine and Seljuqid empires...
, whose realm was threatened by an invasion from the neighboring Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
. Later, during the twilight of the Georgian monarchy, the bishop Joseph of Ancha was allied with Prince Ioann of Samtskhe (r.
Reign
A reign is the term used to describe the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office of monarch of a nation or of a people . In most hereditary monarchies and some elective monarchies A reign is the term used to describe the period of a person's or dynasty's occupation of the office...
1391–1444) in his efforts to detach Samtskhe, both politically and ecclesiastically, from the rest of Georgia. The bishops of Ancha were intermittently able to break free of the Georgian catholicoi at Mtskheta
Mtskheta
Mtskheta , one of the oldest cities of the country of Georgia , is located approximately 20 kilometers north of Tbilisi at the confluence of the Aragvi and Kura rivers. The city is now the administrative centre of the Mtskheta-Mtianeti region...
and were ordained by the bishops of Atskuri, who, in their turn, were invested directly by the Patriarch of Antioch
Patriarch of Antioch
Patriarch of Antioch is a traditional title held by the Bishop of Antioch. As the traditional "overseer" of the first gentile Christian community, the position has been of prime importance in the church from its earliest period...
. However, a document from the latter half of the 15th century – in which the bishop Kerobin Abelisdze takes an oath of fealty to the Georgian catholicos David IV – testifies to the return of the bishopric of Ancha to the allegiance of the sea of Mtskheta. In 1551, the Ottomans invaded Samtskhe and Christianity went in gradual decline in the region. By the mid-17th century, the bishopric of Ancha had ceased to exist. Part of Christian relics kept there were evacuated to the safer areas of Georgia.
Known bishops
- Zachary (9th century)
- Tskiri (9th century)
- Makarios (fl. 861)
- Ioann (fl. 1195)
- Theophanes (1350s-60s)
- Joseph (14th-15th centuries)
- Kerobin (15th century)