Melchizedek III of Georgia
Encyclopedia
Melchizedek III (1872 — January 10, 1960) 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.
Born as Mikheil Pkhaladze (მიხეილ ფხალაძე) in the Tiflis Governorate
, Russian Empire
, the future prelate received his education at the theological colleges of Tiflis and Kazan
. He then taught at various seminaries in Russia and Georgia. In 1915, Melchizedek was ordained to priesthood. When the Georgian Orthodox Church broke free of Russian control in 1917, he returned to homeland and, in 1922, became a priest at the Tbilisi Sioni Cathedral
and then at Anchiskhati. He then served as a bishop at Alaverdi (1925-27), archbishop at Sukhumi
(1927-28), chief priest at the Tbilisi Church of Transfiguration (1928-1935), metropolitan of Sukhumi and Abkhazia
(1935-38), and chief priest at the Tbilisi Didube Church (1944-52). After the death of Callistratus, Melchizedek was elected as Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia in 1952. Despite pressure from the Soviet
government, he was able to reopen the churches of Bodbe
and Ilori
during his tenure.
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...
from 1952 until his death. His full title was His Holiness and Beatitude, 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...
-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...
and Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia.
Born as Mikheil Pkhaladze (მიხეილ ფხალაძე) in the Tiflis Governorate
Tiflis Governorate
Tiflis Governorate was one of the guberniyas of the Russian Empire with its centre in Tiflis . In 1897 it constituted 44,607 sq. kilometres in area and had a population of 1,051,032 inhabitants...
, 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...
, the future prelate received his education at the theological colleges of Tiflis and Kazan
Kazan
Kazan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. With a population of 1,143,546 , it is the eighth most populous city in Russia. Kazan lies at the confluence of the Volga and Kazanka Rivers in European Russia. In April 2009, the Russian Patent Office granted Kazan the...
. He then taught at various seminaries in Russia and Georgia. In 1915, Melchizedek was ordained to priesthood. When the Georgian Orthodox Church broke free of Russian control in 1917, he returned to homeland and, in 1922, became a priest at the Tbilisi Sioni Cathedral
Tbilisi Sioni Cathedral
The "Sioni" Cathedral of the Dormition is a Georgian Orthodox cathedral in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. Following a medieval Georgian tradition of naming churches after particular places in the Holy Land, the Sioni Cathedral bears the name of Mount Zion at Jerusalem...
and then at Anchiskhati. He then served as a bishop at Alaverdi (1925-27), archbishop at Sukhumi
Sukhumi
Sukhumi is the capital of Abkhazia, a disputed region on the Black Sea coast. The city suffered heavily during the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict in the early 1990s.-Naming:...
(1927-28), chief priest at the Tbilisi Church of Transfiguration (1928-1935), metropolitan of Sukhumi and Abkhazia
Abkhazia
Abkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny...
(1935-38), and chief priest at the Tbilisi Didube Church (1944-52). After the death of Callistratus, Melchizedek was elected as Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia in 1952. Despite pressure from the Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
government, he was able to reopen the churches of Bodbe
Bodbe Monastery
The Monastery of St. Nino at Bodbe is a Georgian Orthodox monastic complex and the seat of the Bishops of Bodbe located 2 km from the town of Sighnaghi, Kakheti, Georgia. Originally built in the 9th century, it has been significantly remodeled, especially in the 17th century...
and Ilori
The Church of St. George of Ilori
The Church of St. George of Ilori is a Medieval, originally Georgian Orthodox Church in the village of Ilori, Abkhazia. The Church was built in the first quarter of the 11th century, AD, and represents one of the most important sites of western Georgian architecture. It is also considered one of...
during his tenure.