Catholic Heritage in Georgia: Proceedings of the International Symposium

Modern Trends in Catholic Church Architecture in Georgia

Nugzar Bardavelidze — 2024-09-13

2023 marked the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Apostolic Administration of the Latin Order of the Catholic Church in Georgia and the South Caucasus. During the three decades of its existence, the Catholic Apostolic Administration was able to restore and fully restore old damaged church buildings, give them a modern look and add new spaces for public meetings. This made the temple complexes multifunctional. In addition to the restoration of existing old churches, the apostolic administration built new church buildings of a modern architectural appearance and form in those cities and villages where there were no Catholic churches before or where these churches were transferred to other denominations. Apostolic administrator Bishop Giuseppe Pazzotto
and his vicar Father Gabriele Bragantini were directly involved in the development of the projects of new churches. In total, the Apostolic Administration of the Latin Order built ten new Catholic churches in different regions of Georgia. These temples are distinguished by their completely original architecture and appearance. In addition, the interiors of the newly built temples were painted with high artistic level wall paintings. In the same period, more than ten new Catholic chapels were built, while the existing church buildings were thoroughly restored. So the apostolic administration throughout the country was fully
able to provide all active Catholic parishes with churches and chapels.

Two Popes’ Visits in Georgia in 30 Years

Gabriele Bragantini — 2024-09-13

During the 30-year span (1993-2023) of the Apostolic Administration of the Caucasus for the Latins, one of the most significant events, if not the most paramount, was the visit of two popes: Saint John Paul II in 1999, and Pope Francis in 2016. Both marked unique occurrences: The presence of two popes in Georgia within a 30-year timeframe impacted the faithful of the Catholic Church, the citizens of Georgia, and interfaith relations. Two notable aspects stand out from Pope John Paul II’s visit. Firstly, it
represented the first image of the Catholic Church in its three rites since the fall of communism in 1989; secondly, it included the announcement of the appointment of the Apostolic Administrator as bishop. During Pope Francis’ visit, it was emphasized that the purpose, albeit indirectly, was to address certain issues within the Catholic Church in Georgia, such as proselytism, rebaptism, and property restitution.

Analysis of the Monomodel, Multimodel, and Intermodel Interdependence of Religions in the Process of Interreligious Dialogue in Georgia

Tamar Charkviani — 2024-09-13

In the last decade, there has been a great interest in the extent to which religion can play a positive role in conflict settlement and
peacebuilding. The peaceful coexistence of religions is of particular importance, especially if we consider that it is one of the main determining factors of the individual and collective identities of the opposing sides. Religious norms and values are central aspects of cultural identity. Other values, such as cultural values, can also lead people to both conflict and reconciliation. In the era of globalization, the development of intercultural competencies and the promotion of intercultural and interreligious dialogue are considered as among the most important prerequisites for a meaningful and harmonious coexistence in the modern world. The main paradigm of our age is the intense relationship between different groups and individuals. The contact between different cultures and religions is growing, and the ties between different groups are deepening. Today, it is almost impossible to see a homogeneous society, one whose members are of the same culture and profess the same religion. It is a paradox that
as much as globalization promotes financial and economic integration, it also promotes cultural and social disintegration, seeing people inventing new boundaries in order to distinguish themselves, separate and distance themselves from carriers of different cultures, whose proximity causes them discomfort. The purpose of the study is to present existing models of inter-religious
dialogue and cooperation between representatives of different religions in Georgian society, and to discuss their projections of inter-religious attitude. Religious differences were often seen as obstacles to conflict resolution and peacebuilding. All religions preach peace, but religion is often also a source that legitimizes hatred and violence. The peaceful coexistence of religions is of particular importance, considering that it is one of the main determining factors of the individual and collective identity of the conflicting parties. We can distinguish three models of interdependence of religions: Monomodel, Multimodel, and Intermodel.
It is interesting to identify which models are possible in Georgia, and in what form these models are presented in the discourses of secular and clerical persons.

Some Unknown Materials from the Vatican Archive about Georgian Catholics (XIX-XX centuries)

Eldar Bubulashvili — 2024-09-13

In June 2019, within the confidential archives of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches at the Vatican, Sergo Parulva, an employee of the State Agency for Religious Affairs and a PhD candidate at the Gregorian University in Rome, and I, discovered previously unknown documents, concerning Georgian Catholics from the 19th and early 20th centuries, during
a research expedition funded by the Gelati Academy of Sciences. In this report, we present three documents from our research that shed light on the religious challenges faced by Georgian Catholics in Samtskhe-Javakheti during the early 19th and 20th centuries.
The first document is a letter, dated on 1896, addressed to Pope Leo XIII and signed by 222 individuals, in which the Georgian Catholics of Samtskhe-Javakheti requested the Vatican’s approval to conduct liturgies according to Latin rites, as opposed to the Armenian-language liturgy mandated by the Tsar, which they did not comprehend. The authors of the letter, identifying themselves as ethnic Georgians, expressed their inability to understand Armenian and their prohibition from conducting liturgies in Georgian. However, their plea was disregarded by the Vatican due to apprehensions about challenging Russian imperial policies. Since
1893, as per government decree, Georgian Catholics in southern Georgia had been prohibited from conducting services in the Georgian language. In November 1904, the Georgian Catholics renewed their plea on the same issue, this time directing it to the newly appointed Catholic Bishop of Tiraspol, Joseph Kessler. Additionally, during the onset of the 1905 revolution, one of the articles in the government’s manifesto on religious freedom, issued on April 17 and October 17 of the same year, raised hopes among Georgian Catholics that their demands would be met. Building on this manifesto, they sought assistance from the Viceroy of the Caucasus, “so that, with the authorization of the civil government, we may adopt the Latin liturgical order, as he generously permitted.” Despite this, their plea to the Catholic bishop was disregarded once again. In 1913, Georgian Catholics from Samtskhe-Javakheti reiterated their demands to the Pope. A commission was dispatched to Georgia in response to this appeal, acknowledging the necessity of granting the requested permission to the Georgian Catholics, and yet, the situation remained unchanged.
In a paradoxical turn of events, the Georgian Catholics of SamtskheJavakheti eventually adopted Roman Catholic practices after Georgia was Sovietized. Evidence of this is found in a letter dated 1925, authored by Emanuel Vardidze, identified as “the head of the Catholic Diocese of Georgia and the Vicariate of Armenia-Azerbaijan,” which we also discovered in the Vatican archives. The letter indicates that the villages of Akhaltsikhe and Akhalkalaki adhered to the Latin liturgical order, but under the atheistic Soviet regime in Georgia, divine services were discontinued in Catholic churches. Only the Tbilisi Cathedral of the Dormition remained
active for the Catholic parish of Samtskhe-Javakheti to conduct liturgies in, according to the Roman Latin Rite.

The Cloister of the Georgian Catholic Fathers in Istanbul, and the National Struggle for Liberation

Nato Kruashvili — 2024-09-13

For over a century, the Cloister of the Georgian Catholic Fathers in Istanbul, with its mission and activities, served as a form of protest, initially against the colonial policies of the Tsarist Government, and later against the Soviet Government. Indeed, it played a significant role in the national liberation struggle of the Georgian people. The Georgian Independence Committee, established in Geneva in 1914, operated within the premises of the Cloister. Its objective was to restore Georgia’s independence under German protection. Shalva Vardidze, the head of the monastery, was a member of this committee. The Istanbul Cloister Archive contains a comprehensive list of Georgian Legionnaires compiled by Shalva Vardidze, along with materials documenting their activities from 1915 to 1921. In February 1921, the (Menshevik) Government of the Democratic Republic, seeking refuge from their homeland, took shelter in the Georgian Catholic Fathers Cloister in Istanbul, where they stayed for several months. In 1921, the first issue of the emigrant political magazine ‘Free Georgia’ was published in the Cloister’s Printing House. Shalva Vardidze collaborated with the ‘White George’ organization, founded in 1924 in Paris, France. He drafted a memorandum on behalf of the Georgian people to be presented at the World Peace Conference. The Cloister emerged as one of the most prominent centers of the national liberation struggle of the Georgian people abroad.

Solomon Dodashvili and the Catholic Church in Georgia

Nugzar Papuashvili — 2024-09-13

Solomon Dodashvili (1805-1836) was the first Georgian to acquire a civilian university education. He graduated from the Faculty of Law and Philosophy at St. Petersburg University, where he developed and published a work entitled ‘Introduction to Philosophy - Logic,’ which received high praise from specialists, and was recognized as a textbook in the Russian Empire. Dodashvili was offered training as a university professor, but chose to return to his homeland, Georgia, to engage in scientific, pedagogical, and journalistic activities. In 1832, he was arrested on charges of participating in a conspiracy against Russian rule, and was exiled to the central Russian province of Vyatka, where he suffered from phthisis and died. Despite only living a five-year creative life there, he
managed to leave behind a rich written legacy. While there is abundant scientific literature on the life and work of Solomon Dodashvili, his relationship with the Roman Catholic Church has not yet been extensively studied. Therefore, the introduction of any new material into this field of research should be considered a desirable event. Several pieces of such material are offered to the general public for the first time through this research. Zakaria Chichinadze was the first researcher to dedicate a monographic
work to Solomon Dodashvili, in 1893. The work contains a unique report stating that Dodashvili developed close relations with Catholic priests while studying at the theological seminary in Tbilisi, and learned Latin and French with their help. Later, while working as a high school teacher and editor of the magazine ‘Tbilisis Utskebani’ (Tbilisi News), and actively participating in the national liberation movement, Dodashvili became close with Polish immigrants in Georgia, as well as with local Catholics
and public figures such as Aleksandre Chikovani and Luka Isarlishvili, who most likely collaborated in his political organization. This organization was characterized by national and religious diversity. It is commonly known that Luka Isarlishvili was a Catholic, but the statement regarding the religion of Aleksandre Chikovani constitutes new and unique information. Solomon Dodashvili‘s name is associated with the first depiction of the activity of the Georgian Catholic Church in the Georgian press.

Mariam Kaukhchishvili – a Female Reformer

Mariam Marjanishvili — 2024-09-13

A supporter of Euro-American ideas, and their implementer in Georgian reality, Mariam Kaukhchishvili sought the reformation of the Georgian educational system, defense of women’s rights, and the revival of Georgian theatre. Born in Kutaisi (1866), she was a graduate of the St. Nino School. Mariam Kaukhchishvili successfully finished a pedagogy course at Geneva University, after which, she carried out a great reform in the Georgian educational system, inspired by the learning and teaching processes at the Swiss University and French secondary and nursery schools. In 1908, in line with the American educational system, she introduced
co-educational learning to her women’s school, which, at that time, was both a progressive and democratic decision. She also established free studies for poor pupils with money raised by public charity and different events. From 1911, she chaired the Kutaisi Women’s Society, which tried to prove to conservative society that “a woman was not created only for motherhood, sweet feelings and to make the world more beautiful”. Mariam Kaukhchishvili had democratic ideas about the awareness and consciousness of the Georgian people. Besides reforms in the educational system, she took an active part in the development of Georgian drama,
connecting theatre to life, and introducing the principles of realism. Together with other great Georgian patriots of the time, Mariam Kaukhchishvili did her best to revive and reform the educational field, to introduce actresses into the Georgian theatre, and to somehow change women’s rights and equality in the Georgian reality.

King Erekle I and Catholicism (A New Aanalysis of the Problem)

Murman Papashvili — 2024-09-13

The Capuchin missionary Giuseppe Antonio Romano, in his report sent from Tbilisi on August 15, 1675, informs us that in April of the same year, he participated in negotiations to achieve the unification of the Armenian and Catholic churches in Iran. During this period, at the court of Shah Suleiman I (1666-1694), there was a contender for the throne of the Kingdom of Kakheti, Erekle I (also known as Irakli, or Heraclius), who had arrived from Moscow and had no intention of ascending to the throne in exchange for changing his faith. It was revealed that he contacted father Francesco Piscopo of Nakhchivan, who was present at the Shah’s court,
with the aim of resolving Nakhchivan’s Catholic debt and unifying the Armenian and Catholic churches. According to the same source, Erekle appealed to father Francesco Piscopo, requesting acceptance into the Roman Church. From the indirect information recorded in the source, the following conclusion is drawn: Prince Erekle’s appeal to father Piscopo was aimed
at leveraging his significant embassy and seeking an ally before the Shah in the person of the Pope. In inclining towards Catholicism, Erekle sought to demonstrate to the Shah, who tolerated Catholic missionaries within the empire, his disassociation from Orthodox Russia and support for the Western orientation of the Iranian court, while highlighting the potential benefits he could bring to the Shah’s court by embracing Catholicism, rather than converting to Islam. Therefore, as part of the mutually advantageous relationship between the Roman Curia and the Shah’s court, Prince Erekle endeavored to enlist the Pope as an intermediary at
the Shah’s court, with the hope that the latter would support his claim to the throne of Kartli or Kakheti as a Christian ruler

The Reports of European Travelers and Catholic Missionaries on the Purchase of Captives in Western Georgia (17th century)

Sergo Vardosanidze — 2024-09-13

After the collapse of the unified state of Georgia, feudal anarchy ensued in Western Georgia. The principalities of Guria, Odishi, and
Abkhazia endeavored to achieve complete independence from the King of Imer, and waged war against him. The kings of Imer, representing the central government, sought to exert full control over Western Georgia, but were unfortunately unable to do so. The Ottoman Empire supported the region, promoting its decentralization, which led to the practice of selling compatriots as captives from the principalities to the Ottoman Empire. This dire situation, foreshadowing the catastrophe of Western Georgia, met fierce opposition from the kings of Imer and the Catholicos of LikhtImereti and Abkhazia. In the 15th century, a church assembly convened in Bichvinta, attended by the Catholicos of Abkhazia, Eudemon, and the Catholicos of Georgia, Malachi, vehemently condemned the purchase of captives, and formulated the “Catholic Law,” outlining punishments for those involved in such transactions. Regrettably, these efforts failed to yield results. Catholic missionaries such as Patri Joseph Giudici, Don Christopher de Castelli, Archangelo Lambert, Giudice of Milan, and Don Pietro Avitable, along with European travelers, including Jean Baptiste Tavernier, Jean Chardin, and others, vividly describe the dire situation in the 18th century. Preventing the purchase of captives relied on the presence of a strong central government, which was absent at the time. Consequently, immoral individuals perpetuated the harmful tradition of selling their compatriots abroad for their own benefit

Theatine Missionaries against the Captive Slave Trade in Georgi

Davit Merkviladze — 2024-09-13

In the early 17th century, Theatine missionaries, who had come from Italy to spread the Catholic faith in Georgia, felt for the thousands of people of different ages and sexes, including children, that were sold to Ottoman traders. The missionaries did much to convince the local nobles to cease this activity, naming it a great sin. They also called on the princes of the principalities of Western Georgia to prohibit the sale of Christian youths to the Ottoman Empire. The missionaries also tried, by various means, to save people, especially children, from being sold. For this purpose, they often gave shelter to those threatened with being sold abroad. Georgian Christians doomed to be sold, who could not be saved by the missionaries, were advised to firmly maintain their faith, even if they were affected by threats or tricked by cunning. Although such efforts achieved results in individual cases, the
existence of the captive slave trade in the region had strong social, political and economic foundations at the time, and its eradication was beyond the capabilities of the missionaries. The article gives many examples of the actions of the Theatine
missionaries against the slave trade, based on the reports of the missionaries themselves, among them Arcangelo Lamberti, Cristoforo Castelli, Giuseppe Giudice, and Pietro Avitabile.

The Stance of the Orthodox Church of Georgia on the Great Christian Union

Davit Tinikashvili — 2024-09-13

Throughout history, divisions have arisen within the Christian Church, some of which have culminated in reconciliation. Various schisms and attempts at reunification have unfolded over the centuries, spanning differences between non-Chalcedonian and Chalcedonian factions, as well as between Catholic and Protestant denominations. Perhaps the most significant schism transpired in 1054 between Greek and Latin Christians, an event often referred to as the Great Schism. Efforts to bridge this divide
were made at the Council of Lyon II and subsequently at the Council of Florence, both pivotal moments in the pursuit of Christian unity. The stance of the Georgian Orthodox Church regarding these endeavors towards reconciliation did not align with the viewpoints of prominent Georgian Orthodox saints, such as George the Hagiorite and Arsen of Ikalto, towards the Latin Church. Furthermore, throughout Georgia’s history, no conciliar decree has been issued declaring the Roman Catholic Church as heretical or schismatic. Even at significant church councils like Ruis-Urbnisi in 1104, the issue of the Latin Church was not addressed.

About the Roman Catholic Lipartianis

Thoma Lipartiani — 2024-09-13

The Lipartiani family was once a strong, noble house in the Samegrelo region, Western Georgia. Their territory was named after them: “Salipartiano”. Due to the work of the Roman Catholic missionaries in the Samegrelo principality, the Lipartiani house converted to the Roman Catholic Church, and its members became strong supporters of Catholic missionary work among the Mingrelians. The purpose of this article is to give readers information about their conversion, and to present excerpts from letters that missionaries sent to Rome. The article details how the Catholic Lipartianis survived the difficulties of the Russian and Soviet empires, and the challenges faced in the era of modern, independent Georgia. The author is a descendant of the Lipartiani family, and therefore is able to give special insight into this issue. This article is a first attempt at research, writing and publishing on this matter in academic circles.

Andrea, Georgian Theatine, Missionary in Goa in the XVIIth Century

Elisabeth Richard — 2024-09-13

ძმა ანდერა ლიპომანო, დაბადებული ნასყიდაში, არ არის ყველაზე ცნობილი მისიონერი საქართველოში მოღვაწე თეატინელ ბერებს
შორის, თუმცა, ის შეიძლება ჩავთვალოთ მისიის ყველაზე საინტერესო პიროვნებად. ერთი შეხედვით, ანდრეა ის ჩვეულებრივი ახალგაზრდა კაცია გორიდან, რომელმაც განათლება მიიღო კათოლიკე მისიონერებისაგან. იმის გამო, რომ ანდრეა მოექცა კათოლიკედ, თანამემამულეების მხრივ, დიდი წნეხის ქვეშ აღმოჩნდა. თავის სულიერ მოძღვარ, თეატინელთა მისიის დამფუძნებელ, პიეტრო ავიტაბილიესთან ერთად, ანდრეამ ბევრი იმოგზაურა როგორც საქართველოსა და სომხეთში, ასევე – იტალიასა და ინდოეთში. ის გულმხურვალე მორწმუნე, თავისი საქმის ბოლომდე ერთგული და თავგანწირული ქრისტიანი იყო. მან აქტიური როლი შეასრულა გოაში თეატინელთა მისიის დაფუძნებაში. შეიძლება ითქვას, რომ ანდრეა, პირველი ქართველი კათოლიკე მღვდელმსახური, საკვანძო ფიგურაა საქართველოს კათოლიკობის ისტორიაში