Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church
Encyclopedia
The Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church is an autocephalous
part of the Eastern Orthodox Church
. Since the 4th century AD, Georgian Orthodoxy has been the state religion
of Georgia
, and it remains the country's largest religious institution.
The Constitution of Georgia
recognizes the special role of the Georgian Orthodox Church in the country's history, but also stipulates the independence of the church from the state. The relations between the State and the Church are regulated by the Constitutional Agreement
of 2002.
According to tradition, when the Apostles were sent out to preach the Gospel
to the nations of the world, the Apostle Andrew
the First-called went to preach in the districts of the Caucasus
corresponding to modern Georgia
(ancient Colchis
and Iberia
), taking with him the Holy Mother's Uncreated Icon (an icon
of the Virgin Mary that tradition holds was not made by human hands). Another tradition says that the Apostle Simon the Canaanite
(better known in the West as Simon the Zealot) also travelled to the Caucasus, and Georgian tradition holds that he preached in Western Georgia and was buried near Sokhumi, in the village of Anakopia. Another Apostle, Saint Matthias
, is said to have preached in the southwest of Georgia, and to have been buried in Gonio
, a village not far from Batumi
. Some Christian sources also attest to the presence in Georgia of the Apostles Bartholomew
and Thaddeus
who came north from Armenia
.
From 303, Saint NinoAutocephaly
Autocephaly , in hierarchical Christian churches and especially Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches, is the status of a hierarchical church whose head bishop does not report to any higher-ranking bishop...
part of the Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
. Since the 4th century AD, Georgian Orthodoxy has been the state religion
State religion
A state religion is a religious body or creed officially endorsed by the state...
of 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...
, and it remains the country's largest religious institution.
The Constitution of Georgia
Constitution of Georgia (country)
The Constitution of Georgia is the supreme law of Georgia. It was approved by the Parliament of Georgia on August 24 1995. It entered into force on October 17...
recognizes the special role of the Georgian Orthodox Church in the country's history, but also stipulates the independence of the church from the state. The relations between the State and the Church are regulated by the Constitutional Agreement
Concordat of 2002
The Constitutional Agreement between the Georgian state and the Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Georgia , informally referred to as the Concordat, is an agreement between the Georgian Orthodox Church and the state that defines relations between the two entities...
of 2002.
The traditions of Christianity's first entrance to Iberia and Colchis
Gospel
A gospel is an account, often written, that describes the life of Jesus of Nazareth. In a more general sense the term "gospel" may refer to the good news message of the New Testament. It is primarily used in reference to the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John...
to the nations of the world, the Apostle Andrew
Saint Andrew
Saint Andrew , called in the Orthodox tradition Prōtoklētos, or the First-called, is a Christian Apostle and the brother of Saint Peter. The name "Andrew" , like other Greek names, appears to have been common among the Jews from the 3rd or 2nd century BC. No Hebrew or Aramaic name is recorded for him...
the First-called went to preach in the districts of the Caucasus
Caucasus
The Caucasus, also Caucas or Caucasia , is a geopolitical region at the border of Europe and Asia, and situated between the Black and the Caspian sea...
corresponding to modern 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...
(ancient Colchis
Colchis
In ancient geography, Colchis or Kolkhis was an ancient Georgian state kingdom and region in Western Georgia, which played an important role in the ethnic and cultural formation of the Georgian nation.The Kingdom of Colchis contributed significantly to the development of medieval Georgian...
and Iberia
Caucasian Iberia
Iberia , also known as Iveria , was a name given by the ancient Greeks and Romans to the ancient Georgian kingdom of Kartli , corresponding roughly to the eastern and southern parts of the present day Georgia...
), taking with him the Holy Mother's Uncreated Icon (an icon
Icon
An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
of the Virgin Mary that tradition holds was not made by human hands). Another tradition says that the Apostle Simon the Canaanite
Simon the Zealot
The apostle called Simon Zelotes, Simon the Zealot, in Luke 6:15 and Acts 1:13; and Simon Kananaios or Simon Cananeus , was one of the most obscure among the apostles of Jesus. Little is recorded of him aside from his name...
(better known in the West as Simon the Zealot) also travelled to the Caucasus, and Georgian tradition holds that he preached in Western Georgia and was buried near Sokhumi, in the village of Anakopia. Another Apostle, Saint Matthias
Saint Matthias
Matthias , according to the Acts of the Apostles, was the apostle chosen by the remaining eleven apostles to replace Judas Iscariot following Judas' betrayal of Jesus and his suicide.-Biography:...
, is said to have preached in the southwest of Georgia, and to have been buried in Gonio
Gonio
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....
, a village not far from Batumi
Batumi
Batumi is a seaside city on the Black Sea coast and capital of Adjara, an autonomous republic in southwest Georgia. Sometimes considered Georgia's second capital, with a population of 121,806 , Batumi serves as an important port and a commercial center. It is situated in a subtropical zone, rich in...
. Some Christian sources also attest to the presence in Georgia of the Apostles Bartholomew
Bartholomew
Bartholomew was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus, and is usually identified as Nathaniel . He was introduced to Christ through St. Philip, another of the twelve apostles as per , where the name Nathaniel first appears. He is also mentioned as “Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee” in...
and Thaddeus
Saint Jude
Jude was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. He is generally identified with Thaddeus, and is also variously called Jude of James, Jude Thaddaeus, Judas Thaddaeus or Lebbaeus...
who came north from Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
.
Christianity in ancient and feudal Georgia
According to the tradition, the first Christian communities were established by Apostil Andrew in the South-Western parts of the Kingdom.Saint Nino
Saint Nino , ), Equal to the Apostles in and the Enlightener of Georgia, was a woman who preached Christianity in Georgia....
of Cappadocia
Cappadocia
Cappadocia is a historical region in Central Anatolia, largely in Nevşehir Province.In the time of Herodotus, the Cappadocians were reported as occupying the whole region from Mount Taurus to the vicinity of the Euxine...
, daughter of a Roman general and later honoured as Equal to the Apostles
Equal-to-apostles
An equal-to-the-apostles is a special title given to some canonized saints in Eastern Orthodoxy. It is also used by Eastern Rite Catholic Churches that are in communion with Rome...
, preached Christianity in the Georgian kingdom of Iberia
Caucasian Iberia
Iberia , also known as Iveria , was a name given by the ancient Greeks and Romans to the ancient Georgian kingdom of Kartli , corresponding roughly to the eastern and southern parts of the present day Georgia...
(Eastern Georgia). In 326, it was adopted as the state religion by the rulers of Iberia, King (later Saint) Mirian III
Mirian III of Iberia
Mirian III was a king of Iberia , contemporaneous to the Roman emperor Constantine I .According to the early medieval Georgian annals and hagiography, Mirian was the first Christian king of Iberia, converted through the ministry of Nino, a Cappadocian female missionary...
and Queen (later Saint) Nana. Western Georgia, then part of the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, became Christianised in a gradual process that was complete by the 6th century. The Western Georgian Kingdom of Egrisi
Egrisi
Lazica or Egrisi in Georgian |Georgia]], named after the Laz tribe, which at some time dominated the local ruling élite.The kingdom flourished between the 6th century BC and the 7th century AD. It covered part of the territory of the former kingdom Colchis and subjugated the territory of modern...
declared Christianity as the state religion in 523. The country adopted Saint George
Saint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
as its patron saint. Georgian Orthodox tradition also holds that 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...
is a country under the special protection and intercession of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and affection for the Theotokos
Theotokos
Theotokos is the Greek title of Mary, the mother of Jesus used especially in the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches. Its literal English translations include God-bearer and the one who gives birth to God. Less literal translations include Mother of God...
runs very deep in Georgian Orthodox consciousness.
According to Britannica Encyclopedia, Georgia remained in the ecclesiastical sphere of the Apostolic See
Apostolic See
In Christianity, an apostolic see is any episcopal see whose foundation is attributed to one or more of the apostles of Jesus.Out of the many such sees, five acquired special importance in Chalcedonian Christianity and became classified as the Pentarchy in Eastern Orthodox Christianity...
of Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
. The Georgian Orthodox Church became autocephalous
Autocephaly
Autocephaly , in hierarchical Christian churches and especially Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches, is the status of a hierarchical church whose head bishop does not report to any higher-ranking bishop...
(independent), granted by the Eastern Roman emperor Zeno (474–491) with the consent of the patriarch of Antioch, Peter the Fuller. In 466 when the Patriarchate of Antioch elevated the Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of 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...
to the rank of Catholicos of Kartli. In 1010, the Catholicos of Kartli was elevated to the honor of Patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
. From then on, the premier hierarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church carried the official title of Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia
Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia
Catholicos–Patriarch has been the title of the heads of the Georgian Orthodox Church since 1010. The first Catholicos–Patriarch of All Georgia was Melkisedek I...
.
Between the 6th and 9th centuries, Georgia underwent a cultural transformation as monasticism
Monasticism
Monasticism is a religious way of life characterized by the practice of renouncing worldly pursuits to fully devote one's self to spiritual work...
flourished. Important monasteries were founded at a number of locations, notably the Iviron monastery
Iviron monastery
Holy Monastery of Iviron is an Eastern Orthodox monastery at the monastic state of Mount Athos in Greece...
on Mount Athos
Mount Athos
Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, 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
Martyrdom of the Holy Queen Shushanik
The Martyrdom of the Holy Queen Shushanik is the first extant piece of Georgian literature. Purported to have been written between 476 and 483, the earliest surviving manuscript dates from the 10th century...
".
Well-known centers of Christian culture included the Georgian Monastery in Sinai
Sinai Peninsula
The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai is a triangular peninsula in Egypt about in area. It is situated between the Mediterranean Sea to the north, and the Red Sea to the south, and is the only part of Egyptian territory located in Asia as opposed to Africa, effectively serving as a land bridge between two...
, the monastery complex (Iveron) on Mount Athos
Mount Athos
Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
(the well-known "Wonderworking Iberian Icon of the Mother of God" is located in this Monastery), Georgian churches in the historic province 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...
(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...
since the 16th century), the Georgian Petritsoni Monastery
Bachkovo Monastery
The Bachkovo Monastery , archaically the Petritsoni Monastery or Monastery of the Mother of God Petritzonitissa in Bulgaria is an important monument of Christian architecture and one of the largest and oldest Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Europe...
in Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, Bagrati Cathedral
Bagrati Cathedral
The Cathedral of the Dormition, or the Kutaisi Cathedral, more commonly known as Bagrati Cathedral , is the 11th-century cathedral church in the city of Kutaisi, the region of Imereti, Georgia...
, Gelati Monastery
Gelati Monastery
The Monastery of Gelati is a monastic complex near Kutaisi, Imereti, western Georgia. It contains the Church of the Virgin founded by the King of Georgia David the Builder in 1106, and the 13th-century churches of St George and St Nicholas....
and Academy, Ikalto
Ikalto
Ikalto is a village about 10 km west of the town Telavi in the Kakheti region of Eastern Georgia. It is mostly known for its monastery complex and the Ikalto Academy....
Monastery complex and Academy, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral
Svetitskhoveli Cathedral is a Georgian Orthodox cathedral located in the historical town of Mtskheta, Georgia, northwest of the nation's capital of Tbilisi....
, the monastery in Martvili
Martvili
Martvili is a small town in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti province of Western Georgia. Its monastery was Samegrelo's clerical centre in the Middle Ages...
, and the monastic complex at Davidgareja
Davidgareja
David Gareja is a rock-hewn Georgian Orthodox monastery complex located in the Kakheti region of Eastern Georgia, on the half-desert slopes of Mount Gareja, some 60–70 km southeast of Georgia's capital Tbilisi...
.
Outstanding Georgian representatives of Christian culture included Evagrius Ponticus
Evagrius Ponticus
Evagrius Ponticus , also called Evagrius the Solitary was a Christian monk and ascetic. One of the rising stars in the late fourth century church, he was well-known as a keen thinker, a polished speaker, and a gifted writer...
(Evagre Pontoeli, 4th century), Peter the Iberian
Peter the Iberian
Peter the Iberian, or Peter of Iberia, is a Georgian Orthodox saint, who was a prominent figure in early Christianity. Some have claimed that he is the author of the works written under the pen name Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite....
(Petre Iberieli, 5th century), Euthymius of Athos
Euthymius of Athos
Euthymius the Athonite was a renowned Georgian philosopher and scholar, also known as Eufimius the Abasgian or St. Euthymius the Georgian...
(Ekvtime Atoneli, 955-1028), George of Athos
George the Hagiorite
George the Hagiorite – Giorgi Mt'ats'mindeli or Giorgi At'oneli – , was a Georgian monk, religious writer, and translator, who spearheaded the activities of Georgian monastic communities in the Byzantine Empire...
(Giorgi Atoneli, 1009–1065), Arsen Ikaltoeli (11th century), and Epraim the Lesser (Eprem Mtsire, 11th century).
The invasions of Genghis Khan in the 13th century and Tamerlane
Timur's invasions of Georgia
Georgia, a Christian kingdom in the Caucasus, was subjected, between 1386 and 1404, to several disastrous invasions by the Islamic armies of Turco-Mongol conqueror Timur, whose vast empire stretched, at its greatest extent, from Central Asia into Anatolia.These conflicts were intimately linked with...
in the 14-15th 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 Kingdom of Kartl-Kakheti
Kartl-Kakheti
The Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti was created in 1762 by the unification of two eastern Georgian kingdoms, which had existed independently since the disintegration of the united Georgian Kingdom in the 15th century....
(Eastern Georgia) was occupied and annexed by the Tsarist Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
. On July 18, 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
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
.
The Georgian Orthodox Church in modern times
Nicholas II of Russia
Nicholas II was the last Emperor of Russia, Grand Prince of Finland, and titular King of Poland. His official short title was Nicholas II, Emperor and Autocrat of All the Russias and he is known as Saint Nicholas the Passion-Bearer by the Russian Orthodox Church.Nicholas II ruled from 1894 until...
in March 1917, Georgia's bishops unilaterally restored the autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church on March 25, 1917. 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 Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
's purges. The independence of the Georgian Orthodox Church was finally recognised by the Russian Orthodox Church on October 31, 1943, but it was still subjected to constant pressure and attrition in the post-war anti-religious campaigns of the Soviet authorities
Religion in the Soviet Union
The Soviet Union was the first state to have as an ideological objective the elimination of religion and its replacement with atheism. To that end, the communist regime confiscated religious property, ridiculed religion, harassed believers, and propagated atheism in schools...
.
On March 3, 1990, the Patriarch of Constantinople
Patriarch of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarch is the Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome – ranking as primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox communion, which is seen by followers as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church....
recognized and approved the Autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church (which had in practice been exercised or at least claimed since the 5th century) as well as the Patriarchal honour of the Catholicos
Catholicos
Catholicos, plural Catholicoi, is a title used for the head of certain churches in some Eastern Christian traditions. The title implies autocephaly and in some cases is borne by the designated head of an autonomous church, in which case the holder might have other titles such as Patriarch...
. Georgia's subsequent independence in 1991 saw a major revival in the fortunes of the Georgian Orthodox Church.
A special role of the Georgian Orthodox Church in the history of the country is recognized according to Article 9 of the Constitution of Georgia
Constitution of Georgia (country)
The Constitution of Georgia is the supreme law of Georgia. It was approved by the Parliament of Georgia on August 24 1995. It entered into force on October 17...
and Constitutional Agreement between State and Church.
About 82% of Georgia's population identified themselves as Georgian Orthodox in 2002 (the remainder being Muslim, Russian Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Catholic and Other). In 2002, it was reported that there were 35 dioceses and about 600 churches within the Georgian Orthodox Church, served by 730 priests. The Georgian Orthodox Church has around 5 million members around the world (of whom about 3,670,000 live within Georgia) and administers, as of 2007, 35 eparchies
Eparchies of the Georgian Orthodox Church
, the Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church is subdivided into thirty-five eparchies:, the Georgian Orthodox and Apostolic Church is subdivided into thirty-five eparchies:...
(dioceses).
Catholicos-Patriarchs of Georgia since 1917
The Georgian Orthodox Church is managed by the Holy SynodHoly Synod
In several of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches and Eastern Catholic Churches, the patriarch or head bishop is elected by a group of bishops called the Holy Synod...
. The Holy Synod is headed by the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia
Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia
Catholicos–Patriarch has been the title of the heads of the Georgian Orthodox Church since 1010. The first Catholicos–Patriarch of All Georgia was Melkisedek I...
, the first of whom was Melkisedek I (1010–1033). Since 1977, Ilia II
Ilia II
Ilia II is the current Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia and the spiritual leader of the Georgian Orthodox Church...
(born in 1933) has served as the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia and Archbishop of 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 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...
.
- Kyrion II (1917–1918)
- Leonid (1918–1921)
- Ambrose (1921–1927)
- Christophorus III (1927–1932)
- CallistratusCallistratus of GeorgiaCallistratus was a Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia from June 21, 1932 until his death...
(1932–1952) - Melchizedek IIIMelchizedek III of GeorgiaMelchizedek III was a Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia from 1952 until his death. His full title was His Holiness and Beatitude, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia....
(1952–1960) - Ephraim IIEphraim II of GeorgiaEphraim II was a Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia from 1960 until his death. His full title was His Holiness and Beatitude, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia....
(1960–1972) - David VPatriarch David V of GeorgiaDavid V was a Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia from July 2, 1972, until his death. His full title was His Holiness and Beatitude, Archbishop of Mtskheta-Tbilisi and Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia....
(1972–1977) - Ilia II (1977–Present)
Hierarchy of the Throne
- Metropolitan of Alaverdi : David (Makharadze)
- Metropolitan of Akhaltsikhe and Sapara : Theodore (Chuadze)
- Metropolitan of Akhalkalaki and Kumurdo : Nikolai (Pachuashvili)
- Metropolitan of Batumi and Lazeti : Demetrios (Shiolashvili)
- Metropolitan of Chiathura and Sachkhere : Daniel (Datushvili)
- Metropolitan of Kutaisi and Gelati : Calistratos (Margalitashvili)
- Metropolitan of Manglisi and Tsalka : Ananias (Japaridze)
- Metropolitan of Nekresi and Kvareli : Sergios (Chekurishvili)
- Metropolitan of Nicosi and Tskhinvali : Isaiah (Chanturia)
- Metropolitan of Poti : Gregorios (Berbichashvili)
- Metropolitan of Rustavi and Marneuli : Athanasios (Chahvashvili)
- Metropolitan of Shemokmedi and Ozurgeti : Joseph (Kikvadze)
- Metropolitan of Sukhumi and Abkhazia : Daniel (Datushvili)
- Metropolitan of Tkibuli : George (Shalamberidze)
- Metropolitan of Urbnisi, Ruisi and Khashuri : Job (Akiashvili)
- Metropolitan of Zugdidi and Tsaishi : Gerasimos (Sharashenidze)
- Metropolitan of Western Europe : Abraham (Garmeliya)
- Archbishop of Bodbe : David (Tikaradze)
- Archbishop of Borjomi and Bakuriani : Seraphim (Jojua)
- Archbishop of Chkondidi and Martvili : Petre (Tsaava)
- Archbishop of Honi and Samtredi : Saba (Gagiberiya)
- Archbishop of Margveti and Zestafoni : Vic (Ahvledani)
- Archbishop of Nikortsminda : Elisha (Jokhadze)
- Archbishop of Tianeti and Pshav-Khevsureti : Tadeos (Ioramashvili)
- Archbishop of Tsilkani and Dusheti : Zosimas (Shioshvili)
- Archbishop of Samtavisi, Gori and Kaspi : Andrew (Gvazava)
- Archbishop of Vani and Baghdati : Anthony (Buluhiya)
- Bishop of Bolnisi and Dmanisi : Ephrem
- Bishop of Gurjaani and Velistsikhe : Euthymos (Lezhava)
- Bishop of Dmanisi : Zenon (Iaradzhuli)
- Bishop of Mestia and Upper Svanetia : Hilarion (Kitiashvili)
- Bishop of Ninotsminda and Sagarejo : Lucas (Lomidze)
- Bishop of Senaki and Chkhorotsku : Shio (Mujiri)
- Bishop of Kazbegi : Iegudiel (Tabatadze)
- Bishop of Skhalta : Spyridon
- Bishop of Tsageri and Lentekhi : Stepan (Kalaidzhishvili)
See also
- Eastern Orthodox ChurchEastern Orthodox ChurchThe Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
- Georgian Byzantine-Rite CatholicsGeorgian Byzantine-Rite CatholicsGeorgian Byzantine Rite Catholics are estimated at only 500 worldwide.-History:...
- History of GeorgiaHistory of Georgia (country)The nation of Georgia was first unified as a kingdom under the Bagrationi dynasty in the 9th to 10th century, arising from a number of predecessor states of ancient Colchis and Iberia...
- Culture of Georgia
- Religious freedom in Georgia
- Georgian languageGeorgian languageGeorgian is the native language of the Georgians and the official language of Georgia, a country in the Caucasus.Georgian is the primary language of about 4 million people in Georgia itself, and of another 500,000 abroad...
External links
- Official Web Site of the Patriarchate of the Georgian Orthodox Church
- Georgian-language Web Site regarding Georgian Orthodoxy
- Russian-language Web Site regarding Georgian Orthodoxy
- Georgian Orthodox Church - Encyclopædia Britannica
- Georgian Orthodox Churches in USA
- Metropolitan Anania (Japaridze). "Christianity in Georgia".- in "It is Georgia" (collection of articles), Tbilisi, 2003, pp. 115–126 (in Georgian)
- "The Lives of the Georgian Saints", by Archpriest Zakaria Machitadze, translated into English in 2002, published by Saint Herman Press.