Georgian Orthodox Church facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Georgia
საქართველოს სამოციქულო ავტოკეფალური მართლმადიდებელი ეკლესია
Svetitskhoveli, Georgia's main cathedral and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Mtskheta.
Type	Autocephaly
Classification	Christian
Orientation	Eastern Orthodox
Scripture	Septuagint New Testament
Theology	Eastern Orthodox theology
Polity	Episcopal
Primate	Shio III, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia
Eparchies	50
Language	Liturgical: Old Georgian
Liturgy	Byzantine Rite
Headquarters	Tbilisi, Georgia
Territory	Georgia
Possessions	Western Europe, Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Jordan, Australia, North America
Founder	Andrew the Apostle (Colchis) Saint Nino, Mirian III (Iberia)
Independence	From Patriarchate of Antioch dates vary between 467–491 and 1010, From Russia in 1917 and 1943.
Recognition	Autocephaly was granted by the Patriarchate of Antioch, with sources variously dating it to between 467–491 or to 1010. It was abolished by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1811, restored de facto in 1917 and de jure in 1943, and formally recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in 1990.
Separated from	Patriarchate of Antioch
Separations	Abkhazian Orthodox Church (2009)
Members	3.5 million

The Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Georgia, often called the Georgian Orthodox Church, is a very old Christian church. It is part of the Eastern Orthodox family of churches, which means it shares many beliefs and traditions with other Orthodox churches around the world. In Georgia, this church is the main religious group, and most Georgian people are members.

The Georgian Orthodox Church believes its story began with the apostles of Jesus, like Andrew the Apostle, who preached in the region a long, long time ago. Later, in the 4th century AD, Saint Nino helped the kings and queens of Georgia become Christian. The church is led by a group of bishops called the holy synod, and its main leader is the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, who is currently Shio III.

For much of Georgia's history, Eastern Orthodox Christianity was the official religion. Even though the church and the government are now separate, the Constitution of Georgia recognizes the church's special and important role in the country's past. The government and church work together under an agreement called the Constitutional Agreement of 2002. The Georgian Orthodox Church is one of the most respected groups in the country.

The Georgian Orthodox Church
See also

The Georgian Orthodox Church

A Long and Important History

Early Beginnings and Founders

The Georgian Orthodox Church has a rich history. According to its traditions, the first Christian preachers in Georgia were apostles of Jesus. Andrew the Apostle, also known as Andrew the First-Called, is said to have brought the Christian message to western and eastern Georgia. He reportedly carried a special icon of the Virgin Mary. While this story is very old, historians believe it comes from later legends.

Other apostles, like Simon the Zealot and Saint Matthias, are also believed to have preached in Georgia. Simon is said to be buried near Sokhumi, and Matthias near Batumi. The church also mentions Bartholomew and Thaddeus as early preachers.

How Georgia Became Christian

Christianity slowly spread in Georgia before the 4th century. A very important event was the arrival of Saint Nino. She is honored as "Equal to the Apostles" because of her work. Tradition says she was a Roman general's daughter from Cappadocia. She preached in the ancient Kingdom of Iberia (now eastern Georgia) in the early 300s.

Saint Nino's efforts led to King Mirian III, his wife Queen Nana, and their family becoming Christian. Historians believe King Mirian officially made Christianity the religion of Iberia around 337 AD. Before this, people in Georgia followed other beliefs like Mithras worship and Zoroastrianism.

Priests from Constantinople helped organize the new church. Christianity quickly spread in the flatlands, but older beliefs lasted longer in the mountains. Western Georgia, called Lazica, was more connected to the Roman Empire and already had some bishops by 325 AD.

Becoming an Independent Church

After Georgia became Christian, its church was closely connected to the Apostolic See of Antioch. Bishops for Georgia were chosen and trained in Antioch. Around 480 AD, the Georgian church leader's title changed from archbishop to catholicos. This was a step towards more independence.

The church in Georgia gradually gained more freedom from Antioch. By the 11th century, the catholicos of Mtskheta became the leader of all Georgian churches. This made the Georgian Church fully independent in its own affairs. Melchisedek I (1010–1033) was the first leader to be called the Catholicos-Patriarch of all Georgia. However, different historical sources suggest slightly different dates for when the church became fully independent, ranging from the late 400s to the 11th century.

Growing Across Georgia

In the early days, Georgia was not a single country. Western Georgia was influenced by the Byzantine Empire, while eastern Georgia had Byzantine, Armenian, and Persian influences. This led to different ways Christianity developed.

In eastern Georgia, the church grew under the protection of the kings. A big step was creating the Georgian alphabet. This new writing system helped spread the Christian message in the local language. Monasteries also became very important in the 6th century, leading to many Georgian religious writings, like stories of saints.

Over time, especially after Muslim invasions, the church became more focused on Georgian identity. Bishops and the Catholicos were now all ethnic Georgians. In western Georgia, churches were under the Patriarchate of Constantinople and used the Greek language. But as Byzantine power lessened, these western churches joined the eastern Georgian church by the end of the 9th century. When Georgia became a unified kingdom in the 10th century, it also had a unified Georgian Church.

Friends and Differences with Other Churches

In early Christianity, the churches in the South Caucasus were very connected. The Armenian Apostolic Church, founded earlier, greatly influenced the early Georgian Church. The Church of Jerusalem also had a strong impact on worship styles.

However, differences arose after the Council of Chalcedon in 451. The Armenian Church did not accept some of its decisions, while the Georgian Church eventually chose to follow the Byzantine (Eastern Orthodox) path. This led to a split with the Armenian Church around 607 AD. From then on, the Georgian Church became more aligned with the Byzantine traditions.

A Golden Age for the Church

Between the 11th and early 13th centuries, Georgia experienced a "Golden Age." This was a time of great political, economic, and cultural growth. The kings, especially David the Builder (1089–1125), strongly supported the church. They gave it land and special benefits, and the church became a powerful institution.

During this period, the Georgian Orthodox Church also helped Christian communities in other regions, like the Balkans and the Holy Land. Georgian kings and nobles gave money, manuscripts, and religious items to monasteries in places like Bulgaria, Jerusalem, and Greece. They even worked with leaders in Egypt to protect Christians in the Holy Land.

Art, Culture, and Faith

Christianity was at the heart of Georgian culture in the Middle Ages. The Georgian alphabet was created to help spread the Christian faith. Monasticism, where monks live in communities, started in Georgia in the 6th century. Assyrian monks founded many monasteries, like David Gareja. Local monks soon joined them, creating important religious stories.

Georgian monasteries were also founded outside Georgia, in places like Mount Sinai and Mount Athos in Greece. Gregory of Khandzta (759–861) is a famous figure in Georgian monasticism, known for founding many communities.

Special forms of art developed for religious purposes in Georgia. These included beautiful calligraphy, polyphonic church singing, and colorful enamel icons. The "Georgian cross-dome style" of architecture is seen in many medieval churches. Famous examples include the Gelati Monastery, Bagrati Cathedral, and Svetitskhoveli Cathedral.

Important Georgian thinkers and writers of this time include Peter the Iberian (5th century) and George of Athos (11th century). Philosophy also thrived, especially at the Gelati Monastery Academy.

Challenges and Changes (13th-18th Centuries)

The Georgian Church faced many difficulties from the 13th to the 18th centuries. Invasions by the Mongols and Tamerlane caused great damage. Churches and monasteries were often attacked and destroyed. Georgia's political unity also broke apart.

In western Georgia, a separate church leader, the Catholicos of Abkhazia, emerged. This was linked to the kings of Imereti wanting more control over their region. This western church had its own leader until 1795.

During this time, Georgia also had more contact with the Catholic Church. This was sometimes a way to find allies against invaders. However, the Georgian Church remained faithful to Eastern Orthodoxy.

Later, Georgia fell under the control of the Ottoman Empire and Persian empires. Christians in Georgia lost their traditional protectors. Many new saints were recognized by the church during this period, like Queen Ketevan of Kakheti, who was killed in 1624 for refusing to give up her Christian faith. Some royal family members even changed their religion for political reasons. The rise of the powerful Orthodox Russian Empire in the 18th century helped strengthen the Georgian Church.

Under Russian and Soviet Control

In 1801, the Russian Empire took over eastern Georgia. On July 18, 1811, Russia ended the Georgian Church's independence, despite strong protests. The Georgian Church became part of the Russian Orthodox Church. Russian bishops were put in charge, and Georgian church traditions and language were suppressed.

After the Russian Tsar was overthrown in 1917, Georgia's bishops quickly brought back the church's independence on March 25, 1917. However, this was not recognized by the Russian Church. When the Red Army invaded Georgia in 1921, the Georgian Orthodox Church faced severe challenges. The atheist government closed many churches and killed many monks during Joseph Stalin's rule.

The Russian Orthodox Church finally recognized the Georgian Church's independence on October 31, 1943. This happened because Stalin changed his policy towards Christianity during World War II. After the war, new campaigns against religion took place. The church also faced challenges from government influence. A revival began in the 1970s, and Patriarch Ilia II, who was elected in 1977, helped renovate and build new churches.

The Church Today

A Special Role in Georgia

On January 25, 1990, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople officially recognized the Georgian Orthodox Church's independence. When Georgia became fully independent in 1991, the church saw a major comeback.

The Constitution of Georgia states that the church has a special role in the country's history. An agreement called the Constitutional Agreement, signed in 2002, further defined the church's status. It recognized the church's ownership of its buildings and gave it a special role in advising the government, especially on education. Many churches and monasteries have been rebuilt or renovated since Georgia's independence.

The church has faced some challenges, including discussions about its involvement in the ecumenical movement (working with other Christian churches). There were also concerns about other Christian groups trying to convert people in Georgia. The church in Abkhazia declared itself separate in 2009, but other Orthodox churches did not recognize this. Relations with the Armenian Apostolic Church have also had some difficulties. In 2002, about 83.9% of Georgia's population identified as Orthodox. The church had about 3.6 million members in Georgia.

Discussions About State Religion

During the 2024 Georgian parliamentary election, the Georgian Dream political party suggested changing the constitution to make Orthodox Christianity the official state religion.

However, the Georgian Orthodox Church expressed some doubts about this idea. Church leaders, including Metropolitan Shio Mujiri and Metropolitan Nikoloz Pachuashvili, worried that such a change could reduce the church's independence and give the government more control. They argued that it might change the way the church and state have worked together, which was set by the 2002 Constitutional Agreement.

How the Church is Organized

The Holy Synod

The Georgian Orthodox Church is managed by the Holy Synod. This is a group of bishops led by the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia. The Holy Synod makes important decisions for the church. It includes the patriarch and many other bishops, such as metropolitan bishops, archbishops, and simple bishops.

The Catholicos-Patriarch

The main leader of the Georgian Church is the Catholicos-Patriarch. The first leader to use this title was Melkisedek I (1010–1033).

Here is a list of the Catholicos-Patriarchs since the church regained its independence in 1917:

Kyrion II (1917–1918)
Leonid (1918–1921)
Ambrose (1921–1927)
Christophorus III (1927–1932)
Callistratus (1932–1952)
Melchizedek III (1952–1960)
Ephraim II (1960–1972)
David V (1972–1977)
Ilia II (1977–2026)
Shio III (2026–present)