კათოლიკე მისიონერები საქართველოს მართლმადიდებელი ეკლესიის სიწმინდეების შესახებ

ანოტაცია

European Catholic missionaries who worked in Georgia during the 16th–18th centuries provide important records about the holy relics of the Georgian Orthodox Church. Examining their accounts reveals how missionaries documented and influenced the veneration and distribution of these relics. The works of Don Cristoforo de Castelli, Arcangelo Lamberti, Giuseppe Maria Zampi, Jean Chardin, and others are particularly noteworthy. They gathered information from local clergy and the population, offering a unique perspective on the role of Catholic missionaries in shaping the history of Georgia’s holy relics. These sources show that Catholic missionaries respected the Georgian Orthodox Church’s relics and, at times, brought new relics, enriching the collection.
The Portuguese Augustinian monk Ambrosio dos Anjos played a major role in locating the holy relics of the martyr, Saint Queen Ketevan the Great Martyr, who was executed by order of Shah Abbas I in Shiraz in 1624. Demonstrating resourcefulness and bravery, he carefully concealed her relics at great personal risk. Upon arriving in Georgia in 1628, Ambrosio dos Anjos presented
the skull and part of Queen Ketevan’s arm to her son, King Teimuraz I. Through his efforts, the holy relics of Saint Queen Ketevan were brought to the city of Goa, India; the Catholic monastery of Grassa; the fortress of Namur, Belgium; and various regions of Europe. He thereby introduced Europe to the Georgian queen's self-sacrifice for the Orthodox Christian faith.
During his travels in Europe in 1715, Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani brought several relics to Georgia. These included a fragment of the Holy Cross gifted by the Pope, the skull of Saint Clement the Martyr, and others. Catholic missionaries also described and traced the origins of Georgian relics, such as the Robe of the Lord and the Virgin Mary’s garment. Beyond information on relics, Catholic missionaries recorded important details about the spread of Christianity in Georgia. They wrote about the number of dioceses, the clergy, religious customs, festivals, and rituals. Their records are a valuable source for Georgian Church history.