Which religion is the main one in Georgia: history of its origin, main shrines. Georgia: religion of Georgians Georgia religion Catholics or Orthodox
Dedicated to anti-Armenian clerical hysteria in “Orthodox” Georgia.
As any person even more or less knowledgeable in the matter already knows, the Council of Chalcedon, which divided the Universal Church into two camps, took place precisely at a time when the Persian Empire was trying to spiritually enslave the Christian peoples of the South Caucasus, by force of its weapons to force the Armenians to renounce, Georgians and Alvanians from their God and accept Iranian Mazdaism. The Persians needed this in order to unite these peoples with themselves in a common religion, give ideological stability to their empire and turn the eyes of these peoples away from the Christian Roman Empire.
Everyone has heard about the heroic Battle of Avarayr between the Armenians and Persians (http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle of Avarayr), which took place shortly before the Council of Chalcedon. But not everyone knows that the Georgians and Alvans, as well as the Armenians, who were vassals of Persia, also joined the long, almost half-century struggle of the Armenians with the Persians. This was the common struggle of fraternal Christian peoples for the right to believe in the true God. And, of course, in the end there was a common victory, which, if it did not free them from the administrative power of the Persian king, then certainly gave them the opportunity to preserve their faith.
It is clear that at that time, in the conditions of a cruel and exhausting war with the Persians, both the Armenians and the Georgians and Alvanians had no time to bother with the “theological” fuss started by the Byzantine emperor-Judas Marcian. The Armenian Church with its Sisters - the Georgian and Alvan Churches - became seriously interested in what happened there in the Roman Empire only after the end of the war at the end of the fifth century. And in order to understand the general “Christological” sentiments of the Armenians, Georgians and Alvanians, you first need to remember what was happening at that time in Byzantium itself.
The Council of Chalcedon and the “merits” of its decisions have already been discussed and discussed, so I won’t talk much about it. Let me only remind you that the majority of the fathers of this council themselves rebelled against his decisions, and anathematized him as soon as they managed to escape from Chalcedon. Rejecting the Third Ecumenical Council and the Great Cyril, the new cryptonestorian teaching of Pope Leo about “one Christ in two natures” (set out in his tomos), was accepted by the Chalcedonian fathers at the council under pressure from Marcian and the papal legates, and as a result, it met with fierce resistance in all churches of the Eastern Empire without exception. Numerous local councils openly rejected the Council of Chalcedon and the tomos of Pope Leo, and only the Roman See demanded its adoption, because the question of papal authority was raised.
This state of affairs forced the Eastern bishops to face a choice - either to adhere to the ancient pre-Chalcedonian faith, or to recognize Chalcedon for the sake of peace with the pope. The intensity of passions in the empire reached the point that, in order to calm the masses, the new emperor Basilisk in 476 issued a decree condemning both the Council of Chalcedon and the tomos of Pope Leo. This, naturally, provoked the first protracted schism in history between Rome and Constantinople, but peace in their country seemed more important to those emperors than virtual unity with the “infallible” and unyielding pope.
In 482, Emperor Zeno, at the suggestion of the Patriarch of Constantinople Acacius, published his famous “Enotikon”, which established the main points of the Faith. Three Ecumenical Councils (Nicaea, Constantinople and Ephesus) were called Orthodox teachings, the teachings of Nestorius and Eutyches were condemned as heretical, and the 12 anathematisms of St. Cyril of Alexandria were confirmed. That is, against Chalcedonian Dyophysitism, in the Eastern Empire the Orthodox faith officially proclaimed the pre-Chalcedonian faith, i.e. Miaphysitism. The cathedral itself, as well as the tomos of Leo, in order not to provoke unnecessary indignation in Rome, instead of anathema were consigned to silent oblivion.
And it was precisely at this time (when pre-Chalcedonian Miaphysitism was professed in Byzantium, and Chalcedonian and, accordingly, Nestorian Dyophysitism was professed in Rome and Persia) Armenia, Georgia and Alvania came out of the war and their canonically united Churches gave a general assessment of everything that happened in the Universal Church for everything the time that passed after Chalcedon. In 506, the First Dvina Council took place, at which the episcopate of the Armenian, Georgian, Alvan and Syunik Churches officially approved the Enoticon of Emperor Zeno, which not only sanctified the pre-Chalcedonian Miaphysite faith, but also confirmed the spiritual unity of the Armenians, Georgians and Alvans with the peoples of the Roman Empire, and before all, of course, with the Greeks.
The scope of issues considered at the First Dvina Interchurch Council also included the question of the position of Orthodox (Miaphysite) Christians in Persia, where Nestorianism began to dominate in 485, naturally displacing Orthodoxy (Miaphysiteism). The Council, having no real levers of influence on Persian policy in matters of religion, sent a message to Persian Christians, which tried to strengthen their spirit and faith in opposition to the pagans and Nestorians. In the message to Persian Christians, on behalf of the Armenian, Georgian, Alvan and Syunik Churches, Nestorianism and the Council of Chalcedon, as a factor strengthening Nestorianism, are anathematized. However, the fate of pre-Chalcedonian Orthodoxy in Persia was already sealed. Miaphysitism, as the official faith of Byzantium, had no chance of surviving in an empire hostile to it.
Real history, not fictional by “Orthodox” falsifiers, refutes the stories about the “victorious march” of Chalcedonism throughout the Universe. The fact is that in the period of more than half a century after the Council of Chalcedon, in the Universal Church, in the overwhelming majority of its local divisions, pre-Chalcedonian Orthodoxy continued to be confessed, i.e. Miaphysitism, and among these Churches was the Georgian Church. The documents of the First Dvina Council clearly indicate that the ancient fathers of the Georgian Church, being in canonical unity with their Armenian brothers, unanimously rejected the Council of Chalcedon, and, naturally, bequeathed the pre-Chalcedonian Orthodox faith to their descendants. But... the descendants themselves did not dispose of the behests of their fathers in this way. But more on that below.
In 518, a new dynasty of emperors came to power in Byzantium in the person of Justin the First. Having far-reaching plans in mind for the return of Rome to their empire, they set out to reconcile with the Roman bishop, which, naturally, was not possible without recognizing Chalcedon. From this moment on, the implantation of Chalcedonism began in Byzantium, and as a result, the eradication of anti-Chalcedonites. With the rejection of Zeno's Henotikon, the Church of Constantinople reunites with the Roman Church, but breaks away from everyone else. And it breaks away not only from the Armenian, Georgian and Alvan Churches, located outside the empire, but also from the intra-imperial patriarchates. It is clear that this intra-imperial problem was solved by administrative methods, when unyielding patriarchs and episcopates were simply expelled from their cathedras, and obedient ones who agreed to recognize Chalcedon were put in their place.
It was impossible to do the same with Churches outside the empire. Here the emperors could solve the problem only by war. In 591, after long wars with Persia, Emperor Mauritius captured most of Armenia, trying to impose Chalcedonism on the conquered lands. The canonical territory of the Armenian Church is preserved only where the Byzantines could not reach. Attempts by Mauritius to force the AAC to accept Chalcedonism were unsuccessful, since the Armenian Catholicos was located in Dvina, which was not conquered by the Byzantines. Therefore, Mauritius on “its” territory creates an alternative “Armenian Catholicosate”, which, in the person of the first and last anti-Catholicos John, existed until 608, being abolished when the Persians reconquered the previously lost Armenian lands.
Despite the fact that Mauritius was soon killed and the Byzantines expelled from the conquered lands, during their stay in the region Chalcedonism was forcibly widely implanted among the Armenians, Georgians and Alvanians. Naturally, Mauritius, first of all, forced the bishops who came under its power to accept Chalcedon. The bishop who fell into the clutches of Mauritius had only three options - to submit, to die, or, as a last resort, to escape to “Persian” territory. However, the reluctance to leave their flock to their own devices forced most bishops to remain, obey and wait for better times. And if, after liberation from the Byzantines, the Armenian Church, through the return of the “stumbled” bishops, was able to free its people from this Byzantine “happiness,” then in Georgia everything went differently.
And... as the “weather forecaster” Voroshilov, beloved by Soviet TV viewers, said: “And about the weather!”
Unlike Armenia and Alvania, in Georgia, as a result of Marcian’s policy, Chalcedonism spread much more widely, and, most importantly, took root more firmly. Not wanting to “anger” Mauritius, but, on the contrary, in the desire to acquire a strong patron, Chalcedonism was accepted there not only by many bishops, but also by princely families, which led to the subsequent official recognition of Chalcedonism by the Georgian Church. The last point in this matter was the open, official recognition of Chalcedonism by the Georgian Catholicos. But there was a “small” canonical hitch with this.
The whole problem of the Georgian Catholicos Curion was that, according to the tradition that had developed at that time between the related Armenian and Georgian Churches, he, like other Georgian Catholicos before him, recognizing the spiritual primacy of the Armenian Catholicos, as the successor of Gregory the Illuminator, was ordained from him. Curion himself was ordained to his see by the Armenian Catholicos Movses the Second (574-604), and while Movses was alive, Curion did not dare to openly profess Chalcedonism, so as not to receive anathema from the man before whom he swore to keep the faith of his own fathers. Curion could not help but understand that the open acceptance of Chalcedonism would entail an anti-canonical split of the Georgian Church from the AAC, which in turn could cast doubt on his continued tenure as Catholicos.
Only after the death of Catholicos Movses (when, due to the next devastating Byzantine-Persian war taking place in Armenia, the AAC not only could not somehow influence what was happening in Georgia, but also could not install its own new Catholicos for a long time) did the Georgian Church officially proclaim Chalcedonism as its confession , than in fact entered the Union in Constantinople. However, not all bishops of the Georgian Church agreed with this. In addition, Curion’s overall “joyful” picture was spoiled by the fact that the Georgian Church included Armenian-populated dioceses with Armenian bishops, since in 428 part of the territories of Greater Armenia, during its division by the Byzantines and Persians, were transferred to Georgia.
One of these who did not agree to apostasy was Bishop Movses of Tsurtava, who wrote a letter to the locum tenens of the Armenian patriarchal throne, Vrtanes Kertoch, in which he described the events that took place in Georgia, how Curion and the princes praised Chalcedon and how they repressed those who disagreed. Naturally, Movses himself, for not wanting a split with the AAC and renouncing the faith of his fathers, was expelled from his see by Curion, who not only installed a Georgian bishop there, but also forbade the future to conduct services in this diocese in the Armenian language. (Here one involuntarily recalls the Buddhist reincarnation of the supreme lamas, and the current patriarch of the GOC Ilia, with his anti-Armenian policy, is seen as another avatar of Curion)…
The messages to the Georgians of Vrtanes Kertokh, as well as the subsequent messages of the newly elected Armenian Catholicos Abraham the First (607-615) with exhortations and calls not to create a schism and to return to the ancient united faith of the fathers, did not yield any results. The desire to become allies of a strong Byzantium turned out to be preferable for the Georgians to the memory of their fathers and friendship with close peoples. Seeing the futility of further exhortations, in 608 the Armenian Church officially declared the Georgian Church to have fallen away from unity with the family of Orthodox Churches of the South Caucasus. This is how the Georgian Church became “Orthodox”...
And now the “dessert” promised in the title about the Georgian falsification of history! Everything is the same as what I wrote about, but in a brief (otherwise they wouldn’t be able to do it) presentation by Georgian “historians”. Let's read, and then savor -
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Georgia in the first half of the 7th century
After the Council of Chalcedon, the religious unity of the Caucasian countries was disrupted. Won in Armenia monophysitism. The conflict became especially aggravated at the beginning of the 7th century. The reason for the outbreak of the conflict was that the Tsurtavi bishop Moses(Armenian by origin), allegedly persecuted by the Georgians, fled to Armenia for help. The Catholicos of Armenia took upon himself his protection. Correspondence began between the Catholicos of Kartli Kirion I and Catholicos of Armenia. The issue with the Tsurtavi bishop Moses was soon dropped, and the most important problem came to the fore. The Armenian Church accused the Georgian Church of distorting religion and called on it to “true faith.” Meanwhile, the Catholicos of Kartli acted very prudently and cautiously. The political situation was not favorable to Georgia. Iran adhered to the Monophysite faith, and Dyophysite Byzantium no longer represented the power that Kartli could count on. Catholicos Kirion skillfully used the situation and did not give the enemy the opportunity to persuade Georgia to Monophysitism. In the end there was a conflict between Armenia and Georgia church schism (608)...
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.... After the Council of Chalcedon, the religious unity of the Caucasian countries was broken.
Won in Armenia monophysitism.
The conflict became especially aggravated at the beginning of the 7th century. The reason for the outbreak of the conflict was that the Tsurtavi bishop Moses(Armenian by origin), allegedly persecuted by the Georgians, fled to Armenia for help.
Cool explanation of the “reason”.))))))) I’d better keep silent about the seriousness of this “reason”, since I promised one of my Georgian friends to be more restrained in my comments... But I liked the one about “the conflict has become especially aggravated.” Probably, when the Georgian bishops anathematized the “Orthodox” Chalcedon at the “Monophysite” Dvina Cathedral, then the conflict was not particularly aggravated?)))))))) And when the Armenian “Monophysite” Catholicos Movses ordained the “Orthodox” Kirion as Catholicos of the Georgian Church, the conflict was still somehow managed to hide it?))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
The Catholicos of Armenia took upon himself his protection. Correspondence began between the Catholicos of Kartli Kirion I and Catholicos of Armenia.
The issue with the Tsurtavi bishop Moses was soon dropped, and the most important problem came to the fore. The Armenian Church accused the Georgian Church of distorting religion and called on it to “true faith.”
Meanwhile, the Catholicos of Kartli acted very prudently and cautiously. The political situation was not favorable to Georgia.
Iran adhered to the Monophysite faith,
and Dyophysite Byzantium no longer represented the power that Kartli could count on.
Catholicos Kirion skillfully used the situation
and did not give the enemy the opportunity to persuade Georgia to Monophysitism.
In the end there was a conflict between Armenia and Georgia church schism (608)...
Yes, yes, Mr. Georgian “historian”, you present it beautifully, as if for people who know nothing of the real history of the Georgian Church. But, you see, if after Chalcedon the AAC was “Monophysite”, and the GOC “Orthodox”, then the situation looks very strange when for a century and a half the “church schism” you emphasized could not occur between them. In fact, even without knowing the facts, any normal person understands that a split could only occur between two parts of one. If a split occurred between Armenia and Georgia in 608, this only means that before that they were united. And so it was. Until 608, the Georgian Church was in the family of the Ancient Eastern Orthodox Churches, actively participated in general councils and for a long time and successfully resisted Byzantine spiritual dominance. But the demon led them astray, and God gave them temptation in the person of the shepherd Judas, who doomed his people to long-term spiritual enslavement by the new “co-religionists.”
The fact that Georgians became Greek-glorious played a cruel joke on them not only during the times of Byzantium, which persistently tried to absorb “co-religious” Georgia. A much more serious problem arose with the absorption of Georgia by the Russian Empire. The Russian Empire simply stupidly liquidated the Georgian Church, making it part of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Russians not only deprived the Georgians of church self-government and the patriarch, but also tried to literally Russify them. All Georgian priests were exiled to the Russian hinterland, and Russian priests were sent to Georgia and their services at the Central Symbolism Center, which, with a general hostility to this form of “churchism,” led to the fact that Georgians simply stopped going to church. And this matter would have ended very sadly for the “Orthodox” Georgians if the Soviet government had not arrived in time. Only she saved them from the Russian embrace..... Since then, Georgians have “reverently loved” the Russian “fellow believers.” But this simply could not happen to the Armenian Church. Well, the Russians couldn’t mix “heretics” with themselves.)))
Georgia is rightfully considered one of the most ancient Christian countries in the world. The religion of Orthodoxy played a leading role in the formation of this state. At the same time, representatives of other religions also live on its territory. Confessions coexist peacefully, showing respect and tolerance in their relations with each other - traits inherent in the Georgian people.
Pre-Christian Georgia: religion of paganism
Until the 4th century AD - the time when Christianity officially established itself in Georgian lands - pagan traditions were strong here.
The patriarchal family structure, widespread in the highlands of the country, contributed to the presence of a strong cult of ancestors. On this basis, polytheistic beliefs and a large pantheon of gods developed. Each of them had his own name, image (usually human) and ruled in a certain area of life.
In addition, Georgians deified plants and animals, worshiped mountains, valleys and stones. The veneration of idols - statues made of various materials - was also widespread.
The main idols in pagan Georgia were the Moon and the Sun. The traditional deification of the latter helped the spread of Mithraism in these lands. At the dawn of the formation of the Christian religion in Georgia, Mazdeanism (the worship of fire) had a great influence on its territory. This religion was actively propagated from the territory of modern Iran.
The legends and myths of pagan Georgia have largely survived to this day in folk tales. Many of them experienced the adoption of Christianity and subsequently merged with it.
The formation of Orthodoxy in Georgia
Giving an answer to the question of what is the official religion in Georgia, we can safely name the date - 326 AD, when Orthodox Christianity was established in this country at the state level.
The credit for this belongs to Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Nina (Nino). According to legend, she arrived in Georgia from Jerusalem, fulfilling the will of the Most Holy Theotokos. In addition to preaching, Saint Nina initiated the construction of many Christian churches in the state in the name of Saint George. The Most Holy Theotokos and St. George the Victorious are considered the heavenly patrons of the country.
It is not easy to find an example of perseverance and self-sacrifice similar to the one that Georgia has shown more than once in its history in defending the Orthodox faith. The religion of Christianity in the country survived the confrontation with those cults that appeared on these lands along with numerous conquerors. In 1226, one hundred thousand residents of Tbilisi chose to die as martyrdom when they refused to desecrate icons on the orders of Shah Khorezm Jalaletdin, who captured and ravaged the city. Many Georgian rulers who died defending the Orthodox faith were elevated to sainthood.
The role of the Orthodox religion in cultural life
Throughout almost the entire historical path that Georgia has passed, the religion of Christianity has significantly influenced the cultural and spiritual development of this country.
The Georgian Apostolic Church became the center of Orthodoxy in its lands. In the 5th century it gained independence from the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and in the 9th century - autocephaly. Many churches and monasteries were built here, which became centers of education.
Clergymen compiled and rewrote chronicles and became authors of biographies of martyrs and saints. According to many researchers, Mrgvlovani - a specific type of Georgian writing - became widespread on this land precisely thanks to Orthodoxy.
Many famous Christian churches - Svetitskhoveli, Alaverdi - are recognized as outstanding architectural masterpieces.
Historical monuments of Christianity
There are many Orthodox shrines on Georgian lands, to which Christians from all over the world make pilgrimages.
One of the oldest monasteries in this country is Jvari (“Cross”). It is located in Mtskheta (the ancient capital of Georgia). Jvari was built in the 6th century, when Orthodoxy was just beginning to spread in Georgia. It was this place that inspired Mikhail Lermontov when he wrote the poem “Mtsyri”.
The Bagrati Temple near Kutaisi, built in the 10th-11th centuries by the ancestor of the famous princely dynasty Bagrationi, is included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Unfortunately, today only the ruins of the majestic complex have survived.
The Zion Cathedral in Tbilisi, dating back to the 7th century, is also widely known. It contains two great Georgian relics: the cross of St. Nino and the head of the Apostle Thomas.
Vardzia Monastery - a temple complex carved into the rocks - was built by order of Queen Tamara in the 12th century. It is rightfully considered the pride of Georgian architecture. The complex stretches 900 m along the banks of the Kura River, rising 8 floors. In total, it has more than 600 rooms, many of which are decorated with unique frescoes. The monastery served as a refuge for civilians during enemy attacks and was capable of sheltering twenty thousand people.
Other denominations
Having focused on which religion is the most widespread in Georgia, other confessions on its territory should also be mentioned.
The Gregorian Church has significant influence in Georgia. It has about five hundred thousand parishioners belonging to the Armenian diaspora.
The second largest religion is Muslims. More than four thousand of them live in Georgia, mainly in Adjara and Lower Kartli.
The Catholic community here is small - about a hundred thousand people. Most of them live in the south of the country.
There is also an ancient, but very small Jewish denomination in Georgia. According to legend, the first Jews came to these lands after Jerusalem fell in the 6th century BC.
Modern Georgia is considered a multi-confessional state. The Constitution officially enshrines the provision of free religion, although it emphasizes the outstanding role of Orthodoxy in the life of the country.
Traveling to another country is a very exciting event: you can see new places, learn about a different culture and way of life, make friends and just have pleasant acquaintances. I greet guests warmly. But each country has its own, which it is advisable to familiarize yourself with in advance.
One of the pressing issues is religion. To avoid conflicts based on religious grounds, you need to know the religious characteristics of the country you are traveling to.
Georgia is a multicultural country. Its history is extremely eventful, which undoubtedly affected culture and religion.
History of the formation of the main religion in Georgia
In 337 (according to other sources - in 326) Georgia adopted Christianity and is still a Christian state. The first inclinations of Christianity were brought to Georgia by the wanderer-apostle Andrew the First-Called; he later became revered as the founder and heavenly patron of the Orthodox Church of Constantinople.
The apostles Simon and Matthew also participated in the founding of the Christian faith in Georgia. In Batumi, on the territory of the Gonio-Apsaros fortress, there is the grave of the Apostle Matthew.
Gonio Fortress in Batumi
One of the most important personalities for Christian Georgia is Saint Nino. She was a slave from Cappadoca and preached Christianity. A striking example of her work is the healing of a sick baby through prayer.
This incredible miracle soon became known to the Georgian Queen Nana, who was also sick. Saint Nino healed her too, after which the queen became a Christian.
Holy Equal to the Apostles Nina, enlightener of Georgia
In the 6th century, in the Georgian cities and regions of Kartli, Kakheti, Zedazeni, Samtavisi, Alaverdi and Nekresi, several monasteries were built, which were founded by the holy fathers from Antioch. This became the grain that firmly established and spread Christianity throughout Georgia.
Interesting facts and religious holidays of Christian Georgia
One of the religious attractions of Georgia is the Svetitskhoveli Church, which means “Life-giving Pillar”, it is located in the city of Mtskheta.
What makes this place special is its incredible backstory. It all started with the fact that a certain Elioz bought the tunic of Christ in Jerusalem and brought it to his homeland, to the city of Mtskheta. When the tunic was in the hands of his sister, she died from an excess of feelings. However, even after death, the chiton could not be removed from the woman’s hands, since she was clutching it tightly. Therefore, the woman had to be buried along with the shrine.
The famous temple on the mountain - Javari
After some time, a cedar tree grew on the grave, which was subsequently cut down to build a church. And a column was made from the tree itself, but it was not possible to install it in place, since it was floating in the air.
Only St. Nino managed to resolve the current situation with the help of prayer. This is how the wonderful Svetitskhoveli Church was formed. October 14 is a holiday in honor of the “peace-bearing pillar of the Lord and the Robe of the Lord.” There is another legend about Svetitskheveli that you can read
Not far from the Svetitskhoveli Church is the Jvari Temple. It stands on the hill where Saint Nino once installed the first Christian cross from a vine tied with her own hair.
There are also other religious sites of Georgia scattered throughout the country. For a more detailed examination of the famous holy places of Georgia, there are special excursions and tours.
The establishment of Christianity on the territory of Georgia was not easy. Christians, as in any other country, were persecuted.
Thus, in 1226, an act of self-sacrifice took place, the scale of which has not yet been compared. 100,000 people accepted the crown of martyrdom, refusing to carry out the order of Khorezmshah Jalaletdin - to desecrate the holy icons collected on the bridge. During this period, children, old people and women were executed. The memory of these people is honored on October 31.
The memory of Saint Nino is honored on January 14 and May 19 - these holidays are considered holy for the Georgian Church. Other Christian holidays are celebrated on generally accepted dates: January 7 - Christmas, January 19 - baptism, etc.
Other official religions in Georgia
Despite the fact that the main religion of Georgia is Christianity, there are many holy sites belonging to other religious movements scattered throughout its territory. These include Muslim mosques and communities, Jewish synagogues and Catholic churches.
Bodbe Monastery
Cathedral of the Blachernae Icon of the Mother of God
Metekhi Temple
The official religion of Georgia is Christianity, however, the country's Parliament adopted amendments to the code that allow any religious movements and organizations that have official status to fully exist.
There is a square, which is also called the square of five churches - on one patch there is an Orthodox temple, an Armenian church, a Catholic cathedral, a synagogue and a mosque.
Georgians treat other religions with respect. There are quite a lot of Muslims here. Some Abkhazians, as well as Georgians in the southern and southwestern regions (Adjara, etc.) profess Sunni Islam. Azerbaijanis are also Muslims. Armenians, Greeks and Russians have their own churches.
After this, the composition of believers in Georgia was distributed as follows:
- Orthodoxy – 65% of the total population.
- Catholicism – 2%.
- Islam – 10%.
- Judaism, atheism and other movements occupy the remaining part.
One of the spiritual symbols of modern Georgia is Svetitskhoveli
One of the options for spending time during a tourist trip to Georgia can be a tour of holy places. After all, the religious history of Georgia is full of interesting and surprising events that deserve attention and will be of interest not only to representatives of the Christian movement, but also to people who preach other religions.
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In 2011, Georgia adopted amendments to the civil code establishing uniform rights to religion for all religious denominations. This decision was made because Georgia is a multicultural country with a rich cultural and religious history. For many centuries, the people of this country have been one of the most tolerant towards representatives of all religious communities.
Georgia (Georgia) is a European country located in the western Transcaucasus on the Black Sea (East Coast).
Christian religion in Georgia
The adoption of Christianity in the history of Georgia is dated 337. Historical sources say that the Christian religion was brought to this country by the wanderer Andrei Pervozanny. He preached in many large cities, carrying with him the miraculous image of the Mother of God. These events marked the beginning of the formation of the concept of what faith prevails in Georgia at the moment.
The Christian faith survived and strengthened its rights among Georgians even during periods of aggressive aggressive activity on the part of Arabs, Turks, and Persians, who were imposing their religion on the Orthodox country. Over the entire period from IV to XIX (until the moment of joining the Russian Empire), she not only defended her rights to the Orthodox faith, but also conducted active educational activities within the framework of this. Monasteries and churches were built, which at that period of history acted as educational centers conducting theological and scientific activities. At the end of the 1917 revolution, the Georgian Church was recognized as independent.
History of Georgian Orthodox Christianity
In 2001 the government and the church signed an agreement, which indicated the advantages of the Orthodox Church, as the official one, over other faiths. But an addition to the Constitution in 2011 equalized all religions in the country.
The Armenian Church is widely represented in Georgia as one of the largest denominations. The Armenian Apostolic Church is considered Orthodox, but not in the generally accepted sense of the concept. Believers profess Monophysitism, which contradicts the traditional division of the Orthodox Church into Eastern and Byzantine-Slavic. According to recent studies, more than 250 thousand Armenians living in Georgia profess Monophysitism.
The denomination of Armenia and the Armenian Church are represented by 650 religious buildings on the territory of Georgia.
One of the common religions in Georgia is Catholicism, which is practiced by Catholics. This group includes believers of the Armenian Catholic Church and the Roman Catholic Church. Most often, representatives of the faith inhabit large cities and make up approximately two percent of the total population.
Muslim appeared in a number of faiths, including due to the large number of invasions of the territory of Islamic states and Arabs and Arab troops (mainly in the XV-XVIII centuries). The consequences of the invasions include an increase in the number of Muslims. Muslims make up approximately 10% of all residents. Islam is represented by many nationalities: Azerbaijanis, Adjarians, Lezgins and many others. There are a total of 130 registered mosques in the country. Most of them are located in Kvemo Kartli - 50. The Muslim community is divided into two parts - Shiites and Sunnis.
In Tbilisi, a unique mosque has been preserved since the times of the USSR, in which Shiites and Sunnis pray together.
In this country, it doesn’t matter what faith you belong to. Many religions coexist peacefully next to each other due to the influence of historical and cultural factors. Confession of faith - recognition in word and deed of their religious principles is characteristic of the local people. The denominations operating on the territory of Georgia make this country so special, decorating its cities with majestic buildings - mosques, churches, Catholic temples. Tolerance in matters of religion in this country allows the development of religious cultures of all world religions. Active religious monuments and shrines attract hundreds of thousands of tourists and pilgrims every year.
The religions of Georgia, like the peoples living here themselves, are diverse. Despite the fact that representatives of different faiths, living in the same territory, honor different traditions and consider themselves to be ethnically different cultures, they have nevertheless learned to coexist in peace and harmony with each other.
History of religions
Most Georgians consider themselves Orthodox. However, few people know that this country became the second in the world where Christianity received the status of a state religion.
And although the Orthodox community in the country is the largest, one cannot help but note the presence on this land of representatives of other religions: Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism and others. Their appearance on the territory of the country is due to numerous historical events that led to the appearance of bearers of different religions here.
Religious composition of the population
There are about 40 religious organizations operating in the country. Let's talk in more detail about the main ones, including the Orthodox. Let's consider the history of their appearance on the territory of Georgia, the main features and shrines.
Orthodoxy
The Orthodox community of Georgia is represented by the Georgian Apostolic Autocephalous Church, which ranks 6th among Slavic local churches in terms of the number of adherents. More than 3 million Georgians belong to it. The head of the church is the Patriarch (Catholicos) - Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi Ilia II.
Story
The history of the adoption of Christianity in Georgia goes back to apostolic times. Then it fell by lot to the Mother of God herself to preach in Iberia. But Christ commanded her to send the Apostle Andrew the First-Called in her place and give him her miraculous image on the road. Which is what was done. Later, the apostles Matthew, Thaddeus, Bartholomew and Simon the Canonite also preached in Georgia.
King Farsman I, not being a Christian, began the first persecution of believers in the country. This led to some loss of faith. But after two and a half centuries, Saint Nina, who came at the behest of the Mother of God, converted first Queen Nana and then King Mirian to Christianity. Thanks to this, the baptism of Georgia and its deliverance from paganism took place.
In 609, the Georgian Church accepted the decree of the Council of Chalcedon on two natures in Christ, thereby separating from Monophysite Armenia. And in the 9th century, under King Vakhtang I, it received autocephaly from Antioch.
The Orthodox had to endure many trials, defending the faith of the Georgian people, first from the fire-worshippers of the Sassonians, and then during the Turkish conquests in the 16th-18th centuries from Muslim rulers.
There are several known cases when Georgian Christians professed their faith en masse and suffered martyrdom. For example, in the 17th century, residents of Tbilisi refused to comply with the order of the Persian Shah to walk on the cross of St. Nina, thrown on the bridge over the Kura River. As a result, 100 thousand people were executed by the Shah. This example of Orthodox Georgians defending the religion of their country is worthy of respect.
From 1811 to 1917 The Georgian Orthodox Church had the status of the Georgian Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church (Russian Orthodox Church), and on the eve of the Russian Revolution it was again declared autocephalous.
Until recently, the Orthodox Church of Georgia was legally endowed with privileges over other faiths, but since 2011, all religious organizations in the country have been given equal rights.
Shrines and temples of Georgia
Speaking about Orthodox Georgia, one cannot fail to mention the shrines kept here:
- The first and earliest shrine by date of appearance is Svetitskhovelli (life-giving pillar) - the temple of the 12 apostles in the city of Mtskheta. The building has existed in its original form since 1010. In addition to the Life-Giving Pillar itself and the Robe of the Lord, the temple contains several other Christian relics, the first of which is the cloak of the holy prophet Elijah. A particle of the relics of St. is also kept here. ap. Andrew, a cross with part of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord and the baptistery in which King Mirian was baptized.
- Tsminda Sameba Cathedral is the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Tbilisi. Back in the 17th century, the Armenian embosser Bebut bought land here, built the Church of the Virgin Mary and built a cemetery around it. During the Soviet era, on the orders of Beria, this place was desecrated and destroyed. In 1989, the idea of restoring the temple arose. The collapse of the USSR and the war in Georgia in 1992 did not allow construction to begin immediately. It was possible to lay the first stone in the foundation of the temple only on November 23, 1995. Today Tsminda Sameba is one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world. Its height is more than a hundred meters, and its area is about 5,000 square meters; the building goes another 40 meters deep into the hill. There are 13 altars in the cathedral, several of them are located underground. On the territory of the complex there is a monastery, a bell tower, 9 chapels, a seminary, the residence of the patriarch, a hotel and a park. The scale and beauty of this grandiose structure is amazing. The floor and altar are covered with marble tiles with mosaic patterns, the walls are covered with frescoes. Some of the icons in the temple were painted by Catholicos Ilia II himself. The main shrines kept here are a huge handwritten Bible and the “Hope of Georgia” icon. The image, like the cathedral itself, is huge. Its size is three meters in height and the same in width. In the center is the Mother of God, surrounded by almost four hundred Georgian saints.
- Jvari Monastery is another significant building in the country. According to legend, it was at this place that Saint Nina erected a huge cross in honor of Iberia’s acquisition of Christianity, which today is the main shrine of Jvari.
- Convent in Bodbe. The monastery is famous for the fact that Saint Nina, Equal to the Apostles, lived and was buried here. Later, a temple was erected over her grave, around which the monastery grew. And the relics of his patron saint rest right there under a bushel, as the saint wanted. Nina.
- Another Orthodox shrine of Georgia is the cross of St. Nina, which was given to her by the Mother of God with her blessing for her apostolic feat.
Islam
Islam first appeared on the territory of the country in 645 with the invasion of the Arabs. But a small number of Georgians accept Islam. Later, the current power of the emirate weakens, and Islam declines. In the 15th century, western Georgia became part of the Ottoman Empire, and the eastern part of the country at that time was under Persian rule. There is an active Islamization of the population, which ends only after Georgia’s rapprochement with Russia.
Today the number of Muslims in Georgia is about 400 thousand people, which puts this denomination in 2nd place among Georgian churches.
There are about 200 mosques in the country, mainly located in Adjara. As for Tbilisi, there is only one functioning Jummah mosque (i.e. Friday) in the capital, built in 1864. Here, Sunnis and Shiites pray together, despite the differences and many years of confrontation between these two movements.
Another mosque is located in Batumi, it is also the only one in the city. Orta Jameh was built in 1866 between two other Muslim temples, which were later destroyed and rebuilt. There is a school attached to the mosque where students study history, Islam and the Koran.
Judaism
The first Jews came to Georgia after Novochadnezzar conquered Jerusalem. In addition, the Jewish population of Byzantium Armenia, Turkey, Russia migrated here from time to time. According to historians, it was in connection with the arrival of the Jews that the country received the name Iveria.
In the 4th century, Jews began to accept Christianity along with the indigenous population, which led to a decrease in their number. The main difference between Georgian Jews is that there has never been a ghetto here.
Today about 1,300 Jews live here. There is a Jewish school in the capital, certified by the Ministry of Education of Georgia.
Among the 19 active Jewish shrines, the most beautiful is the synagogue in the city of Oni. It was erected in 1895. During the years of Soviet power, the synagogue was supposed to be closed, but the local population (including the Orthodox) came to its defense. The shrine was preserved.
Catholicism
Catholicism in Georgia is practiced by less than one percent of the population. This branch of Christianity is represented here by the Roman Catholic and Armenian Catholic churches.
The first Roman missionaries were sent to Georgia in 1240 by Pope Gregory IX. Until this moment, the country, although it had contact with Rome, was to an insignificant extent. In 1318, the first Tbilisi diocese was already organized here.
The main Catholic church in the country is the Cathedral in Tbilisi in honor of the Ascension of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Permission for its construction was received by the Catholics of the capital only in 1804. The cathedral was erected and later rebuilt and expanded. During the years of Soviet power it was closed. Divine services there were resumed only in 1999 after the re-consecration by Pontiff John Paul II.
Protestants
The main Protestant denominations in the country are: Adventists, Lutherans and Baptists. According to the 2014 census, there are about 2.5 thousand believers of various branches of Protestantism in the country. The first to arrive here were Lutheran immigrants from Germany. Then the Adventists, Baptists and Pentecostals arrived. In the 2000s, the number of Lutherans dropped to 800 people.
Believers of other religions
In addition to traditional Protestantism, representatives of neo-Protestantism also operate in the country. Jehovah's Witnesses are distinguished by a fairly large number (12 thousand) of believers from other churches of this trend. The Georgian Evangelical Protestant Church, the New Apostolic Church, the Salvation Army, etc. are also active here.
The Armenian Apostolic Church occupies a special place among the churches of Georgia. After the Georgian Church accepted the resolution of the Council of Chalcedon, it separated from the Armenian Church. The latter continued to exist on the territory of Georgia. About 110 thousand people are considered its adherents, making it the third largest in the country.
Atheists
Georgia is traditionally considered one of the most religious countries in the world, but according to the 2014 census, almost 63 thousand people did not identify themselves with any religious organization.
Atheists are increasingly found in cities, whose populations are less religious than rural ones. Among them are mainly Azerbaijanis who came to the country during the existence of the USSR and subsequently settled here.
Percentage of denominations in Georgia
Data from 2014 indicate the following distribution of the population by faith:
- Orthodoxy - 83.41%;
- Islam - 10.74%;
- Armenian Apostolic Church - 2.94%;
- Catholicism - 0.52%;
- Jehovah's Witnesses - 0.33%;
- Yezidism - 0.23%;
- Protestantism - about 0.07%;
- Judaism - about 0.04;%
- did not answer or did not indicate religious affiliation - 1.70%.
In total, about 40 religious organizations were recorded in the country.
- Easter and Christmas;
- Svetitskhovoloba - a holiday in honor of the finding of the Robe of the Lord and the appearance of the Life-Giving Pillar (celebrated on October 14);
- Ninooba - a holiday in honor of the arrival of St. Nina in Georgia (celebrated on June 1);
- Tamaroba - a holiday in honor of Queen Tamara, who led Georgia to prosperity (celebrated on May 14);
- St. George's Day - celebrated in honor of the patron saint of Georgia, a relative of St. Nina (celebrated on November 23).
The emergence of writing, the culture and architecture of the country, family values and moral ideals - all this inextricably connects Georgians with Orthodoxy. According to social surveys, 70% of the country's residents identify their nationality with the dominant religion of Georgia. This suggests that the faith of the Georgian people today is an integral part of their existence.
Video about faith in Georgia
Video about faith in the life of the Georgian people.