Besides St. ap. Andrew in Georgia was preached by St. apostles Simon the Canaanite and Matthias. The most ancient sources also report the preaching of St. App. Bartholomew and Thaddeus.
In the first centuries, Christianity in Georgia was persecuted. The martyrdom of St. dates back to the beginning of the second century. Sukhiy and his squads (April 15/28). However, already in 326 Christianity became the state religion in Iberia thanks to the preaching of St. equal to Nina (commemorated on January 14/27 and May 19/June 1 - in the Georgian Church these days are considered among the great holidays). Fulfilling the will of the Most Holy Theotokos, St. Nina from Jerusalem came to Georgia and finally established her faith in Christ.
Initially, the Georgian Church was under the jurisdiction of the Antioch Patriarchate, but already in the 5th century. according to established opinion, she received autocephaly. This, apparently, was facilitated, among others, by the fact that Georgia was an independent Christian state outside the borders of the Byzantine Empire. From the 11th century The primate of the Georgian Church bears the title of Catholicos-Patriarch.
Throughout its history, Georgia fought against invaders who sought not only to seize the country, but also to eradicate Christianity from it. For example, in 1227 Tbilisi was invaded by the Khorezmians led by Jalal ad-Din. Then the icons were brought onto the bridge and all residents of the city had to spit on the faces of the icons while walking across the bridge. Those who did not do this were immediately cut off their heads and pushed into the river. On that day, 100,000 Christians in Tbilisi were martyred (they are commemorated on October 31/November 13).
The difficult situation of Orthodox Georgians forced them, starting from the 15th century. from time to time to ask for help from Russia of the same faith. As a result, at the beginning of the 19th century. Georgia was annexed to Russian Empire and the autocephaly of the Georgian Church was abolished. The Georgian Exarchate was formed, which was ruled by an exarch in the rank of metropolitan, and later in the rank of archbishop. During the existence of the Exarchate, order was restored in church life, the financial situation of the clergy improved, spiritual educational institutions, science developed. At the same time, the Georgian language was being squeezed out of worship, and teaching in seminaries was also conducted in Russian. The number of dioceses was reduced, church property was at the disposal of the Russian authorities, and bishops of Russian nationality were appointed exarchs. All this caused numerous protests.
At the end of the 19th – beginning of the 20th centuries. there was a clearly expressed desire among Orthodox Georgians for autocephaly. In February 1917, a revolution occurred in Russia, and on March 12, in the ancient capital of Georgia, Mtskheta, the restoration of autocephaly of the Georgian Church was proclaimed. On September 17, 1917, at the Council in Tbilisi, Bishop Kirion (Sadzaglishvili) was elected Catholicos-Patriarch. The Russian Church at first did not recognize the restoration of autocephaly, as a result of which there was a break in prayerful communication between the two Churches. Communication was restored in 1943 under Patriarch Sergius (Stargorodsky) and Catholicos-Patriarch Kallistratus (Tsintsadze). In 1990, the autocephaly of the Georgian Church was recognized by the Ecumenical (Constantinople) Pariarchate.
Since 1977, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II has been the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia.
17:41, 25 Lipnya 2011
4005 0
Georgia (Iveria) is the apostolic lot of the Mother of God. However, the Lord told Her to stay in Jerusalem. Apostle Andrew the First-Called went north...
In the Caucasus, between the Black and Caspian seas, the country is located ancient history and culture - Georgia. The beauty of Georgian nature, the originality of Georgian art and the unique flavor of the Georgian character delighted great poets and famous travelers. At the same time, this is one of the oldest Christian countries in the world, which is impossible to imagine without holy Orthodoxy.
Throughout its history, Georgia fought against invaders who sought not only to enslave the country, but also to eradicate Christianity from it. Many conquerors were close to destroying Orthodox Iberia. But the Christ-loving Georgian people defended their homeland and preserved the right faith. Georgia is still one of the outposts of Orthodoxy in the modern world.
Destiny of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Georgia (Iveria) is the apostolic lot of the Mother of God. According to church tradition, after the Ascension, the apostles gathered in the Zion Upper Room and cast lots to which country each of them should go. The Blessed Virgin Mary wished to take part in the apostolic sermon. It was her lot to go to Iberia, but the Lord told her to stay in Jerusalem. The Apostle Andrew the First-Called went north, taking with him the image of the Mother of God.
The holy apostle went to the country that kept the great Old Testament shrine - the mantle of the prophet Elijah. It was brought there by the Jews, persecuted by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar. In addition, in Georgia there was also the greatest Christian shrine - the unstitched tunic of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was brought to Mtskheta, the ancient capital of Georgia, by a local resident, the Jew Elioz, who was present at the crucifixion.
In apostolic times, there were two Georgian states on the territory of modern Georgia: East Georgian Kartli (Iveria in Greek) and West Georgian Egrisi (Colchis in Greek). Apostle Andrew preached in both Eastern and Western Georgia.
In the city of Atskuri (near modern Akhaltsikhe), through the prayer of the apostle, the son of a widow who had died shortly before his arrival was resurrected, and this miracle prompted the inhabitants of the city to accept holy Baptism. The Apostle Andrew installed a newly enlightened bishop, priests and deacons, and before setting off on his journey, he left in the city an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, which had been in the cathedral for many centuries.
In Western Georgia, together with the Apostle Andrew, the teachings of Christ were preached by the Apostle Simon the Canaanite, who was buried there, in the village of Komani. The Georgian land received another apostle, Saint Matthias, he preached in southwestern Georgia and was buried in Gonio, near modern Batumi. In addition, the most ancient sources indicate the presence of the apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus in Eastern Georgia.
Baptism of Iberia
The preaching of the holy apostles did not pass without a trace. The first Christian communities and churches appeared in Georgia. An interesting fact is that in the works of St. Irenaeus of Lyons (2nd century), Ivers (Georgians) are already mentioned among Christian peoples.
However, mass baptism of Georgians took place only at the beginning of the 4th century thanks to the preaching of Saint Nina, Equal to the Apostles, the enlightener of Georgia. Originally from Cappadocia, a relative of the Great Martyr George, Saint Nina arrived from Jerusalem to fulfill the will of the Most Holy Theotokos.
The preacher attracted the attention of the people with the holiness of her life, as well as with many miracles, in particular the healing of the queen from illness. When King Mirian, having been exposed to danger while hunting, was saved after praying to the Christian God, then, returning home safely, he accepted Christianity with his entire household and himself became a preacher of the teachings of Christ among his people.
In 326, Christianity in Georgia was proclaimed the state religion. King Mirian built a temple in the name of the Savior in the capital of the state - Mtskheta, and, on the advice of St. Nina, sent ambassadors to St. Constantine the Great with a request to send a bishop and clergy. Bishop John, sent by Saint Constantine, and Greek priests continued the conversion of the Georgians.
Before the arrival of the clergy in Mtskheta, where the Robe of the Lord was kept, construction of the church had already begun. This place is still the center of the spiritual life of the Georgian people. Here is the cathedral church in honor of the Twelve Apostles - “Svetitskhoveli” (“Life-Giving Pillar”).
The successor of the glorified king Mirian, King Bakar (342–364), also worked a lot in the field of Christianization of the country. Under him, liturgical books were translated into Georgian.
From this time on, Georgians became faithful followers of Christ and always unwaveringly defended the Orthodox teachings. Byzantine historian of the 6th century. Procopius of Caesarea notes that “the Ibelians are Christians, and they observe the rules of faith better than anyone we know.”
In the fight for Orthodoxy
Georgia reached its power in the 5th century. under King Vakhtang I Gorgosali, who ruled the country for fifty-three years. Successfully defending the independence of his homeland, he did a lot for the Church. Under him, the building that collapsed at the beginning of the 5th century was rebuilt. Mtskheta Temple.
With the transfer of the capital of Georgia from Mtskheta to Tiflis, Vakhtang I laid the foundation of the famous Zion Cathedral in the new capital, which exists to this day. Under King Vakhtang I, according to Georgian historians, 12 episcopal sees were opened. Through the care of his mother Sagdukht, the widow of King Archil I, in 440 the books of the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament were first translated into Georgian.
Initially, the Georgian Church was under the jurisdiction of the Antioch Patriarchate, but already in the 5th century, according to established opinion, it received autocephaly. This, apparently, was facilitated, among others, by the fact that Georgia was an independent Christian state outside the borders of the Byzantine Empire. From the 11th century The primate of the Georgian Church bears the title of Catholicos-Patriarch. (Catholicos - Greek “universal”, indicates that the jurisdiction of the Georgian Church extends not only to the borders of Georgia, but also to all Georgians, no matter where they live. - Ed.)
Since the adoption of Christianity, the Georgian people for centuries had to almost constantly fight against external enemies who, along with the conquest of the country, tried to destroy the Christian religion. In the most difficult struggle, the Georgian people were able to maintain statehood and defend Orthodoxy. For centuries, the struggle for statehood has been identified with the struggle for Orthodoxy. Many people, both clergy and laity, suffered martyrdom here for the faith of Christ.
World history does not know such an example of self-sacrifice as was shown by the residents of the Georgian capital Tbilisi in 1227, when at the same time 100 thousand people - men, children and old people - refused to carry out the order of the Khorezm Shah Jalal-ed-din - to desecrate the icons placed on bridge, received the crown of martyrdom.
In the crucible of trials, the faith and courage of the Georgian people only strengthened. The flourishing of Christian Iberia was brought by the reign of the God-fearing king David IV (c. 1073–1125) and his pious descendants.
Golden age
At the dawn of its Christian history, Georgia was forced to wage a centuries-long bloody struggle with Islam, the bearers of which were primarily Arabs. From the 7th century they captured vast lands of Persia and Byzantine Empire weakened by mutual struggle. In the 8th century Georgia was subjected to terrible devastation by the Arabs, led by Murvan, nicknamed “Deaf” for his mercilessness. A new wave of violence arose in the second half of the 11th century, when the Seljuk Turks invaded Georgia, destroying churches, monasteries, settlements and Orthodox Georgians themselves.
The position of the Iveron Church changed only with the accession to the royal throne of David IV the Builder (1089–1125), an intelligent, enlightened and God-fearing ruler. David IV put church life in order, built churches and established monasteries. In 1103, on his initiative, a council was convened in Ruisi, the resolutions of which contributed to the strengthening of the canonical life of the Church and the establishment of church deanery.
The zenith of Georgia’s glory was the century of David’s famous great-granddaughter, the holy Queen Tamara (1184–1213), who was able not only to preserve what she had under her predecessors, but also to expand her power from the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea. After the capture of Constantinople by the Crusaders in 1204, Georgia became the most powerful Christian state in the entire Eastern Mediterranean.
Legendary tales associate almost all the remarkable monuments of Georgian history with the name of Queen Tamara, including many towers and churches on the tops of the mountains. The saint was especially concerned about the education of her people. During her reign, a large number of speakers, theologians, philosophers, historians, artists and poets appeared. However, with the death of Saint Tamara, everything changed - she seemed to take the happy years of her homeland with her to the grave.
Under the blows of enemies
The Mongol-Tatars who converted to Islam became a threat to Georgia. In 1387, Tamerlane entered Kartalinia, bringing with him destruction and devastation. “Georgia presented a terrible sight then,” writes priest Nikandr Pokrovsky. - Cities and villages were in ruins, corpses were lying in heaps on the streets. It seemed that a river of fire rushed through sad Georgia. Even after that, its sky was more than once illuminated by the glow of Mongolian fires, and the smoking blood of its ill-fated population in a long strip marked the path of the formidable and cruel ruler of Samarkand.”
Following the Mongols, the Ottoman Turks brought suffering, destruction of shrines and forced conversion to Islam to the Georgians.
A long series of disasters suffered by Georgia over its one and a half thousand year history ended with the devastating invasion of the Persian Shah Agha Mohammed in 1795. On the day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Shah ordered all the clergy of Tiflis to be seized and thrown from the high bank into the Kura River. In terms of cruelty, this execution is equal to the bloody massacre committed on Easter night 1617 in the Gareji monastery, when, on the orders of the Persian Shah Abbas, his soldiers hacked to death six thousand monks. “The Kingdom of Georgia,” writes the historian Platon Ioseliani, “for fifteen centuries has not represented almost a single reign that was not marked by either an attack, or destruction, or cruel oppression by the enemies of Christ.”
In times of trouble for Iberia, intercessors ordinary people Monks and white clergy spoke out. “It is hardly possible to find in the history of mankind any political or ecclesiastical society,” wrote Bishop Kirion (Sadzaglishvili, later Catholicos-Patriarch), “that would make more sacrifices and shed more blood in defense of Orthodox faith and nationalities, which was done by the Georgian clergy and especially monasticism. Due to the enormous influence of Georgian monasticism on the fate of the Russian Church, its history has become an integral and most important part of Georgian church-historical life, its valuable decoration, without which the history of subsequent centuries would have been colorless, incomprehensible, lifeless.”
Together with Russia
The difficult situation of Orthodox Georgians forced them to turn to their fellow believer Russia for help. Beginning in the 15th century, these appeals did not stop until Georgia joined the Russian Empire. In response to the request of the last kings - George XII in Eastern Georgia and Solomon II in Western - on September 12, 1801, Emperor Alexander I issued a manifesto, by which Georgia - first Eastern, and then Western - was finally annexed to Russia.
After reunification, the Georgian Church became part of the Russian Orthodox Church with the rights of an exarchate. In 1811, according to the imperial order, the Exarch of Iberia was appointed instead of the Catholicos, who received the right to be a member of the Holy Synod.
During the existence of the exarchate, order was restored in church life, the financial situation of the clergy improved, religious educational institutions were opened, and science developed. At the same time, the Georgian language was gradually being ousted from worship; teaching in seminaries was also conducted in Russian. Questions related to church property also arose.
Autocephalous Georgian Orthodox Church
At the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries. there was a clearly expressed desire among Orthodox Georgians for autocephaly. In February 1917, a revolution occurred in Russia, and on March 12, in the ancient capital of Georgia, Mtskheta, the restoration of autocephaly of the Georgian Church was proclaimed. On September 17, 1917, at the Council in Tbilisi, Bishop Kirion (Sadzaglishvili) was elected Catholicos-Patriarch. The Russian Church at first did not recognize the restoration of autocephaly, as a result of which there was a breakdown in prayerful communication between the two Churches. Communication was restored in 1943 under Patriarch Sergius (Stragorodsky) and Catholicos-Patriarch Kallistratos (Tsintsadze). In 1990, the autocephaly of the Georgian Church was recognized by the Ecumenical (Constantinople) Patriarchate.
Currently, the Georgian Church has about three million believers, 27 dioceses, 53 monasteries, and about 300 parishes. Divine services are performed in Georgian, in some parishes - in Church Slavonic or Greek.
The Orthodox Church occupies a special place in modern Georgia. The state recognizes marriage registered by the Church, ensures the functioning of the institute of chaplains in the army and prisons, teaches the fundamentals of the Orthodox faith in educational institutions, and recognizes diplomas from theological schools. In turn, the Church approves the designs of Orthodox churches and issues permission for their construction; its property is exempt from taxes. All the greats Orthodox holidays declared state holidays in Georgia and are holidays. Orthodox Iveria lives and looks to the future with hope.
Oleg Karpenko, "Church Orthodox Newspaper"
If you have found a treat, see it with a bear and press Ctrl+Enter
Georgian Orthodox Church: brief information
The Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church is an integral part of the Ecumenical Orthodox Church and is in dogmatic unity, canonical and liturgical communion with all Local Orthodox Churches.
The beginning of Christian life in Georgia dates back to apostolic times. The news of Christ was brought here by His direct witnesses, among whom were the apostles Andrew the First-Called, Simon the Canaanite and Bartholomew. In the Tradition of the Georgian Church, Saint Andrew the First-Called is honored as the first bishop of Georgia; the memory is also preserved of the fact that the Most Holy Theotokos herself sent the apostle to preach in Iberia.
Already in the 4th century, the eastern Georgian kingdom of Kartli officially adopted Christianity. The baptism of Georgia in 326, during the reign of King Mirian, is associated with the preaching of Saint Nina, Equal to the Apostles, who came to Georgia from Cappadocia. Nina’s activities are mentioned not only in hagiographic works, but also in many Greek, Latin, Georgian, Armenian and Coptic historical sources.
Starting from the 5th century, independent Georgia, located at the epicenter of the confrontation between Byzantium and Persia, was constantly subjected to devastating attacks by the Persians; kings, clergy and laity accepted martyrdom for refusing to renounce Christ.
At the same time, from early centuries, the Church of Georgia took part in the establishment of religious doctrine: Georgian bishops were already present at the Third and Fourth Ecumenical Councils. All subsequent centuries, Georgian theologians, located on the border of different cultures and religions, were forced to conduct active polemics, defending the Orthodox teachings of the Church.
During the reign of King Vakhtang Gorgosali (446–506), the Georgian Church, previously part of the Antiochian Church, received autocephaly (independence), and an archbishop with the title Catholicos was placed at the head of the hierarchy. From Cappadocia the holy ascetic St. John, later called Zedaznia, comes to Georgia with his twelve followers; his disciples not only established the monastic tradition in Georgia, but also brought the mission of Christian preaching to cities and villages, built churches and monasteries, and established new dioceses.
This period of prosperity gives way to a new period of martyrdom: in the 8th century, the Arabs invaded Georgia. But the spiritual uplift of the people could not be broken; it manifested itself in a national-creative movement, inspired not only by kings and patriarchs, but also by ascetic monks. One of these fathers was St. Grigory Khandztiysky.
In the 10th–11th centuries, the period of church construction and the development of hymnography and art began; the Iveron Monastery was founded on Athos; thanks to the elders and inhabitants of this monastery, Greek theological literature was translated into Georgian.
In 1121, the holy king David the Builder, who paid great attention to the church structure and received support from the Church, and his army defeated the Seljuk Turks in the Battle of Didgori. This victory completes the unification of the country and marks the beginning of the “golden age” of Georgian history.
At this time, the active work of the Georgian Church unfolded outside the state, in the Holy Land, Asia Minor and Alexandria.
In the 13th and 14th centuries, a new period of trials began for Christians in Georgia, now under the onslaught of the Mongols. Khan Jalal ad-Din, having conquered Tbilisi, literally filled it with blood, monasteries and temples were desecrated and destroyed, and thousands of Christians suffered martyrdom. After Tamerlane’s raids, entire cities and dioceses disappeared; According to historians, there were significantly more Georgians killed than survivors. With all this, the Church was not paralyzed - in the 15th century, Metropolitans Gregory and John were present at the Ferraro-Florence Council, they not only refused to sign a union with Catholicism, but also openly denounced its deviation from the conciliar teaching of the Church.
In the 80s of the 15th century, united Georgia broke up into three kingdoms - Kartli, Kakheti and Imereti. In a state of fragmentation under constant blows from Persia, the Ottoman Empire and raids by Dagestan tribes, the Church continued to carry out its ministry, although this became increasingly difficult.
The southwestern part of Georgia, conquered by the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century, was forcibly Islamized, the practice of Christianity was brutally persecuted, all dioceses were abolished, and churches were rebuilt into mosques.
The 17th century, “the century of royal martyrs and many slain,” was also devastating for Georgia. The punitive campaigns of the Persian Shah Abbas I were aimed at the complete destruction of Kartli and Kakheti. At this time, two thirds of the Georgian population were killed.
The number of dioceses decreased even further. But Georgia continued to find the strength to resist, and the Church, in the person of the Catholicos and the best bishops, called on the kings and people to unity. In 1625, commander Giorgi Saakadze defeated the thirty-thousand-strong Persian army. It was during this period that the concept of “Georgian” became equal to the concept of “Orthodox”, and those who converted to Islam were no longer called Georgians, they were called “Tatars”.
During these difficult years, both statesmen and hierarchs of the Church sought support from the Orthodox Russian Empire, which had achieved power. Active negotiations in St. Petersburg were conducted by Catholicos-Patriarch Anthony I (Bagrationi).
In 1783, the Treaty of Georgievsk was signed in the North Caucasus, according to which Georgia, in exchange for Russian support, partially renounced internal independence and completely independent foreign policy.
The endless blows of Persia and Turkey, although they did not suppress, but largely paralyzed the intellectual and social life of the Church - it was no longer possible to support the spiritual centers belonging to Georgia, both in Georgia itself and on Mount Athos and the Holy Land. Educational institutions did not function, a large number of the clergy were physically destroyed. But at the same time, spiritual life did not become scarce - many reverend fathers - hesychasts - labored in the monasteries of Georgia.
In 1811, as part of an active policy to introduce Georgia into the Russian Empire, where the Church had been subordinate to the state for a hundred years and the patriarchate was abolished, the Georgian Church also lost its freedom and autocephaly. An Exarchate was established on its territory, the status of the Catholicos was reduced to an exarch (Archbishop of Kartli and Kakheti), and over time, exarchs began to be appointed from among the Russian episcopate.
This was a controversial period for the Georgian Church. On the one hand, the punitive campaigns of militant Muslim neighbors stopped, educational institutions were restored, the clergy began to receive salaries, a mission was organized in Ossetia, but at the same time, the Georgian Church found itself completely subordinate to the Russian Synod and the policy of the Empire, clearly aimed at all-Russian unification. At this time, the rich ancient traditions of hymnography, icon painting, and church art began to disappear from Georgian everyday life, and the veneration of many Georgian saints came to naught.
After the February events of 1917, in March, a Council was held in Svetitskhoveli, at which the autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church was proclaimed; a little later, in September, Kirion III was elected Patriarch. And already in 1921, the Red Army entered Georgia and Soviet power was established. Trials and repressions began for the Church, representatives of the clergy and believers throughout the Soviet Union. Temples were closed everywhere, and the profession of faith was persecuted by the Soviet state.
In a difficult time for Russians and Georgians, amid repression, devastation and disasters, in 1943 the Local Russian and Georgian Churches restored Eucharistic communion and trusting relationships.
In 1977, Catholicos Ilia II took the patriarchal throne in Georgia. His active ministry, which attracted young Georgian intellectuals to the ranks of clergy and monastics, took place during the years of the fall of the Soviet Union, Georgia gaining independence, and a series of fratricidal wars and armed conflicts.
Currently, there are 35 dioceses in Georgia with ruling bishops; prayers are offered to God in Georgian parishes all over the world. The Patriarch, like his best predecessors in history, went through all the trials together with his people, which earned him unprecedented authority in Georgia.
This text is an introductory fragment. From the book History. History of Russia. 10th grade. Advanced level. Part 2 author Lyashenko Leonid Mikhailovich§ 71. Russian Orthodox Church Orthodox Church. The church continued to play an important role in the life of the state. On the one hand, Orthodoxy was the official religion, and the church was one of the government’s weapons of ideological influence on the population
From the book The Mechanism of Stalinist Power: Formation and Functioning. 1917-1941 author Pavlova Irina VladimirovnaABOUT THE AUTHOR brief information Irina Pavlova is an independent historian, Doctor of Historical Sciences. In August 2003, she left her position as a leading researcher at the Institute of History of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, where she worked for 23 years. Your life
From the book Four Queens author Goldstone NancyBrief Bibliographical Note When writing about medieval history, it is inevitable that you must compile a variety of sources, and The Four Queens is no exception. Fortunately, an unexpectedly huge amount of information has reached us from the 13th century - including
by Vachnadze MerabThe Georgian Church in the 4th–12th centuries After Christianity was declared the state religion in the 4th century, the Georgian Orthodox Church began to play a significant role in the life of the Georgian people and the Georgian state. All important events that took place in Georgia were found
From the book History of Georgia (from ancient times to the present day) by Vachnadze MerabThe Georgian Church in the XIII-XV centuries The Georgian Church has always played an important role in the life of the Georgian people. Particular importance was attached to the church during times of difficult trials. She served not only as a moral and spiritual incentive for the Georgian people, but was also the only force
From the book History of Georgia (from ancient times to the present day) by Vachnadze MerabThe Georgian Church in the 16th–18th centuries The 16th–18th centuries was one of the most difficult periods in the history of Georgia. In the fierce struggle of the Georgian people for their salvation from physical and spiritual degeneration, the church was always nearby and played a huge role. Clerics
From the book by Danilo Galitsky author Zgurskaya Maria PavlovnaBrief biographical information of Denmark (Dani?lo) Roma?novich Galitsky (1201–1264) – prince (and from 1254 king) of the Galicia-Volyn lands, politician, diplomat and commander, son of Prince Roman Mstislavich, from the Galician branch of the Rurik family. In 1205 he became formal
From the book Athens: the history of the city author Llewellyn Smith MichaelOrthodox Church The vast majority of Athenians - more than four million - are Orthodox, and many churches are needed. In densely populated suburbs these are usually spacious, modern buildings. They were built mainly from concrete, breaking the Byzantine style. Them
From the book Russia: People and Empire, 1552–1917 author Hosking GeoffreyChapter 4 The Orthodox Church In many European countries, especially Protestant ones, the church played an important role in creating and maintaining a sense of national community, being a link between the upper and lower layers of culture. Parochial schools brought in children
From the book Nuremberg warns author Joseph Hoffman3 Brief historical background Attempts to ban wars and the use of force to resolve international conflicts have been made for a long time. The Hague Conventions for the peaceful settlement of disputes between states (1899-1907) played a special role. The Charter of the League of Nations in a number of articles
From the book Diaries. 1913–1919: From the collection of the State Historical Museum author Bogoslovsky Mikhail MikhailovichBrief biographical information Mikhail Mikhailovich Bogoslovsky was born in Moscow on March 13, 1867. His father, also Mikhail Mikhailovich (1826–1893), graduated from the Moscow Theological Seminary, but did not become a priest; he entered the service of the Moscow Board of Trustees, then
From the book Orthodoxy, heterodoxy, heterodoxy [Essays on the history of religious diversity of the Russian Empire] by Wert Paul W.From Catholicos to Exarch: the Georgian Church after the annexation The emergence of autocephalist demands in Georgia was closely related to the political situation in 1905, when the tsarist regime was on the verge of collapse and the peoples on the outskirts of the empire began to actively
Apostolic Church of Armenia
; among Russian-speaking commentators, the introduction introduced in Tsarist Russia Name Armenian Gregorian Church, however, this name is not used by the Armenian Church itself) is one of the oldest Christian churches, which has a number of significant features in dogma and ritual, distinguishing it both from Byzantine Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism. In 301, Greater Armenia became the first country to adopt Christianity as a state religion , which is associated with the names of Saint Gregory the Illuminator and the Armenian king Trdat III the Great.AAC (Armenian Apostolic Church) recognizes only the first three Ecumenical Councils, because at the fourth (Chalcedon) her legates did not take part (there was no opportunity to come due to hostilities), and at this Council very important dogmas of Christian doctrine were formulated. The Armenians refused to accept the decisions of the Council only due to the absence of their representatives at it and de jure deviated into Meophysitism, which means that (de jure again) they are heretics for the Orthodox. In fact, none of the modern Armenian theologians (due to the decline of the school) will say exactly how they differ from the Orthodox - they agree with us in everything, but do not want to unite in Eucharistic communion - very strong national pride- like “this is ours and we are not like you.” The Armenian rite is used in worship.The Armenian Church is Monophysites.Monophysitism is a Christological teaching, the essence of which is that in the Lord Jesus Christ there is only one nature, and not two, as the Orthodox Church teaches. Historically, it appeared as an extreme reaction to the heresy of Nestorianism and had not only dogmatic, but also political reasons. They are anathema. The Catholic, Orthodox and Ancient Eastern Churches, including the Armenian, unlike all Protestant churches, believe in the Eucharist. If we present the faith purely theoretically, the differences between Catholicism, Byzantine-Slavic Orthodoxy and the Armenian Church are minimal, the commonality is, relatively speaking, 98 or 99 percent.The Armenian Church differs from the Orthodox in celebrating the Eucharist on unleavened bread, imposing sign of the cross"from left to right", calendar differences in the celebration of Epiphany, etc. holidays, the use of the organ in worship, the problem of the “Holy Fire” etc.Currently, there are six non-Chalcedonian churches (or seven, if the Armenian Etchmiadzin and Cilician Catholicosates are considered as two, de facto autocephalous churches). Ancients Eastern churches can be divided into three groups:
1) Syro-Jacobites, Copts and Malabarians (Malankara Church of India). This is the monophysitism of the Sevirian tradition, which is based on the theology of Sevirus of Antioch.
2) Armenians (Etchmiadzin and Cilician Catholics).
3) Ethiopians (Ethiopian and Eritrean churches).
ARMENIANS- the descendants of Togarmah, the grandson of Japheth, call themselves Hayki, after Hayki, who came from Babylon 2350 years before the birth of Christ.From Armenia they subsequently scattered throughout all regions of the Greek Empire and, according to their characteristic spirit of enterprise, became members of European societies, retaining, however, their outward type, morals and religion.
Christianity, brought to Armenia by the Apostles Thomas, Thaddeus, Judas Jacob and Simon the Canaanite, was approved in the 4th century by Saint Gregory the “Illuminator”. During the IV Ecumenical Council, the Armenians separated from the Greek Church and, due to national enmity with the Greeks, became so separated from them that attempts to unite them with the Greek Church in the 12th century remained unsuccessful. But at the same time, many Armenians, under the name of Armenian Catholics, submitted to Rome.
The number of all Armenians extends to 5 million. Of these, up to 100 thousand are Armenian Catholics.
The head of the Armenian-Gregorian bears the title of Catholicos, is confirmed in his rank by the Russian Emperor and has a see in Etchmiadzin.
Armenian Catholics have their own Archbishops, supplied by the Pope
Head of the Armenian Church:
His Holiness the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians (now Garegin II).Georgian Orthodox Church
(officially: Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church; cargo. — autocephalous local Orthodox Church, having sixth place in the diptychs of the Slavic local Churches and ninth in the diptychs of the ancient Eastern patriarchates. One of the oldest Christian churches in the world . Jurisdiction extends to the territory of Georgia and to all Georgians, wherever they reside. According to legend, based on an ancient Georgian manuscript, Georgia is the apostolic lot of the Mother of God. In 337, through the works of Saint Nina, Equal-to-the-Apostles, Christianity became the state religion of Georgia. The church organization was located within the Antiochian Church (Syrian).In 451, together with the Armenian Church, it did not accept the decisions of the Council of Chalcedon and in 467, under King Vakhtang I, it became independent from Antioch, acquiring the status of an autocephalous Church. with center in Mtskheta (residence of the Supreme Catholicos). In 607 the Church accepted the decisions of Chalcedon, breaking with the Armenians.
Brief history of the Georgian Orthodox Church
In the Caucasus, between the Black and Caspian seas, there is a country of ancient history and culture - Georgia. At the same time, Georgia is one of the oldest Christian countries in the world. The Georgian people joined the teachings of Christ in the first century, by lot, which was supposed to show where and in what country the apostles should preach the faith of Christ; by lot, Georgia fell to the Most Holy Theotokos. Therefore, Georgia is considered the chosen country of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is the patroness of the country.
By the will of the Savior, the Mother of God remained in Jerusalem, and St. went to Georgia. Apostle Andrew the First-Called, who brought with him a miraculous image of the Most Holy Theotokos. The holy apostle went to the country that kept the great Old Testament shrine - the robe of the Prophet Elijah, which was brought by the Jews persecuted by Nebuchadnezzar and the greatest shrine of Christianity - the unstitched tunic of our Lord Jesus Christ, which after the crucifixion the Jewish witness Elioz brought to the capital of Kartli, Mtskheta, where he lived
During the apostolic times, there were two Georgian states on the territory of modern Georgia: East Georgian Kartli (in Greek Iberia), Western Georgian Egrisi (in Greek Colchis). Apostle Andrew preached in both Eastern and Western Georgia. In the settlement of Atskveri (Kartli), after preaching and converting people, he left an icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, which for many centuries was in the Atskveri (Atskuri) Cathedral.
In Western Georgia, together with the Apostle Andrew, the teachings of Christ were preached by the Apostle Simon the Canaanite, who was buried there, in the village of Komani. The Georgian land received another apostle, St. Matthias; he preached in southwestern Georgia and is buried in Gonio, near modern Batumi. The most ancient Georgian sources indicate the stay of the apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus in Eastern Georgia.
The arrival and sermon of St. the apostles in Georgia are confirmed by both local Georgian chronicles and Greek and Latin church authors: Origen (2-3 centuries), Dorotheus, Bishop of Tire (4 centuries), Epiphanes, Bishop of Cyprus (4 centuries), Nikita Paphlagonian (9th century), Ecumene (10th century), etc.
It is not surprising that the sermon of St. the apostles did not pass without a trace. In Georgia 1-3 centuries. the existence of Christian churches and communities is confirmed by archaeological materials. In the works of Irenaeus of Lyons (2nd century), the Iberians (Georgians) are mentioned among the Christian peoples.
Christianity became the state religion in Kartli in the 4th century. This significant phenomenon in Georgian history is associated with St. Equal to the Apostles. Nino, enlightener of Georgia, with St. King Mirian and St. Queen Nana.
Originally from Cappadocia, a close relative of St. George, St. Nino to Kartli from Jerusalem, in fulfillment of the will of St. Mother of God, after St. The apostles once again preached and strengthened Christianity in this region. By the grace and power of St. Nino, King Mirian and Queen Nana converted to Christianity.
At the request of King Mirian, the Byzantine Emperor Constantine the Great sent clergy under the leadership of Bishop John to baptize the king, his family and people. Before the arrival of the clergy, construction of a church began in Mtskheta, where the Robe of the Lord rested. This place is and will always be the center of the spiritual life of the Georgian nation. Here is the cathedral church in honor of the 12 apostles - Svetitskhoveli.
After the official adoption of Christianity, Emperor St. Constantine and St. Helena sent part of Life-giving cross and the board on which the Lord stood during the crucifixion, as well as the icon of the Savior.
The Georgian church dates the arrival of clergy into the kingdom and the baptism of the country to the year 326. This date is confirmed by the 5th century historian Sozimon of Salaman, author of the chronicle " Church history", where it is indicated that the official adoption of Christianity in Georgia took place immediately after the end of the 1st Ecumenical Council (325).
As for Western Georgia, the spread of Christianity and the existence of the church in the 1st half of the 4th century is indisputable, which is confirmed by the participation of the Bishop of Bichvinta Stratophilus at the Nicaea Ecumenical Council.
From that time on, Georgia and its church firmly took the path of Christianity and always unwaveringly defended the Orthodox teachings. Byzantine historian of the 6th century. Procopius of Caesarea notes that “The Iberians are Christians and observe the rules of faith better than anyone we know.”
Since the time of the adoption of Christianity (and before), the Georgian people for centuries had to almost constantly fight against external enemy conquerors. Persians and Arabs, Seljuk Turks and Khorezmians, Mongols and Ottoman Turks, along with the conquest of the country, they tried to destroy the Christian religion. The Georgian people, in the most difficult struggle, were able to maintain statehood and defend Orthodoxy. For centuries, the struggle for statehood was identified with the struggle for Orthodoxy. Many people, both clergy and citizens, accepted martyrdom for the faith of Christ.
World history does not know such an example of self-sacrifice, when 100,000 people simultaneously accepted the crown of martyrdom. Residents of the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi, refused to comply with the order of the Khorezm Shah Jalal-ed-din - to pass and desecrate the icons placed on the bridge. Men, children and old people were executed.
This happened in 1226. In 1386, Tamerlane's horde destroyed the nuns of the Kvabtakhevsky monastery. In 1616, during the invasion of Shah Abbas, 6,000 monks of the David Gareji Monastery suffered martyrdom.
Among the glorified saints of the Georgian Church there are many lay people, rulers who set an example for us with their patriotism, heroism and Christian self-sacrifice. The martyred (princes David and Konstantin Mkheidze (VIII century), King Archil (VI century), the murdered Mongols, King Dimitri II (XIII century), King Luarsab II, who died at the hands of the Persians (XVII) and Queen Ketevani, tortured by the Persians (XVII) - this is not full list these saints.
Since the proclamation of Christianity as the state religion, the Georgian Church, despite the tragic history of the country, has always been engaged in restoration and educational activities. The country's territory is full of churches and monasteries.
Only in honor of St. Giorgi, who always enjoyed special respect from the people and was considered the patron saint of Georgians, hundreds of temples were built.
Many churches and monasteries became educational centers.
In the 12th century, the great Georgian king David IV founded the Gelati monastery (near the city of Kutaisi), and with it an academy, which throughout the Orthodox world was recognized as the greatest theological and scientific school. At the same time, the second famous academy, the Ikalt Academy, was also operating. David is also associated with the convening of the Ruiss-Urbnis Church Council in 1103, which considered the most important issues in the life of the country and the church. Starting from the 5th century, when Georgian hagiographic works (the life of St. Nino, the martyrdom of Shushanik) were created), the Georgian people created a unique literature. Let us especially note Christian art. Over the centuries, based on folk traditions, civil and temple architecture developed, many examples of which are recognized as the best monuments of world art. Along with temple architecture, monumental painting - frescoes and mosaics - received brilliant development. IN general evolution Georgian fresco took its rightful place in Byzantine painting.
Georgians built churches and monasteries not only in Georgia, but also in Palestine, Syria, Cyprus, and Bulgaria. From this side, the most notable are the Cross Monastery in Jerusalem (now under the jurisdiction of the Jerusalem Patriarchate), the Monastery of St. Jacob (in the jurisdiction of the Armenian Church), Iviron on Mount Athos (the history of the miraculous icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary is connected with this monastery), Petritsoni in Bulgaria.
At different times, famous Georgian theologians, philosophers, writers and translators Peter Iber, Ephraim the Small, Euthymius and Giorgi Svyatogortsy, John Petritsi and others worked in Georgia and abroad.
The restoration of the rights of the Georgian population in Jerusalem during the time of Muslim rule is associated with Georgia and its king George V. The liberator from the Mongol yoke and the re-creator of the integrity of the country, Tsar George V enjoyed great authority not only in the country, but also abroad.
In 1811, the Russian Imperial Court unlawfully abolished the autocephaly of the Georgian Church, abolished patriarchal rule, and subordinated the Georgian Church, with the rights of an exarchate, to the Synod of the Russian Church. In March 1917, the autocephaly of the Church was restored and patriarchal rule was introduced. After the restoration of autocephaly, the famous church figure Kirion II was elected the first Catholicos-Patriarch.
In 1989, the Georgian Autocephalous Church, which had existed since the 5th century, was confirmed by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
From 1977 to the present day, the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi is His Holiness and Beatitude Ilya II.
Loading...
