8.

Department of Christian Art History and Theory

The Department of Christian Art History and Theory delivers the following subjects:

An Introductory Course of Art, the Basic Course of Christian Art, an Artistic Analysis
of a Work of Art, Art of the Ancient World, Byzantine Architecture and Relief,
Byzantine Painting, Post-Byzantine Art, A General Course of Georgian Art, Art of the
Romanesque and Gothic Period, Art of Western Europe in the 13 th-18th Centuries, Art
of Christian East, Iconography, Georgian Architecture, Georgian Frescos of the Middle
Ages, Georgian Iconography, Miniatures in Georgian Christian Manuscripts, Jewelry
of Georgian Christian Craft, Georgian Ecclesiastic Embroidery, Museology, Methods of
the History of Art.
The goal of this department is to facilitate the increase of the number of professional
critics of ecclesiastical art by accentuating the teaching of Christian Art based on the
knowledge of theology. The program of this faculty is composed with a view to equipping the
students with a wide scope of knowledge of all the major fields in ancient and modern art and
also to teaching subjects of subspecialties.
The teaching of Georgia’s Christian art with its trends and peculiarities is foregrounded in
the context of a chronological and regional vision of world art.
The students are given every opportunity to learn the most ancient technology of
iconography and gilded embroidery in the workshops of iconography, embroidery and textile
design; the whole work is supervised by the Department of Christian Art History and Theory.
From the very inception of the department until 2010, its head was PhD in Art Zaza
Skhirtladze. At present the department is supervised by Rusudan Vashalomidze.

9. Department of Iconography and Restoration

of Monumental and Easel Iconography

A ccording to the constitutional agreement between the Orthodox Church of Georgia and
the State of Georgia (Concordat), the Patriarchate is recognized by the State as the owner of
the churches and monasteries and of the entire church treasury. The Patriarchate is entrusted
with the responsibility for the care and protection of this treasury. In accordance with the
agreement and with the blessing of His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II, Catholicos-Patriarch of
All Georgia, in October 2005, the specialties of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary
were extended by opening a new faculty - the Faculty of Iconography, Restoration and
Applied Art. The latter also comprised inlaid enamel and embossing on metal. Iconography
represents the fundamental part of teaching in this faculty. At present, the faculty is titled
“Faculty of Ecclesiastical Architecture, Iconography and Restoration of Easel and
Monumental Iconography”.
The Department of Iconography and Restoration of Easel and Monumental Iconography
carries out academic teaching in this faculty. Today, numerous temples are being built and
decorating their walls with frescos according to well-thought-out programs and good
knowledge of iconography is an indispensable and urgent task. Great Church Fathers called
it “Theology in Colors”. The curriculum of the Department of Iconography and Restoration
comprises all the subjects which encompass the standards of profound knowledge as in the
theological so also in the technological and practical dimensions.
Restoration of Easel and monumental iconography has been outlined as the other main
feature of the work at the department. This encompasses an active participation in the saving
and preservation of the cultural heritage of the State. The academic programs, drawn up for
the teaching of restoration of Easel and monumental iconography employs methods used in
the higher schools of foreign countries and the experience of our teachers gained in their
practical and theoretical work throughout many years. In this sphere, the department equips
the students with the necessary knowledge a professional iconographer-restorer and a
researcher is supposed to have. Apart from the subjects employed forgeneral education, the
department executes the teaching of the following: Introduction to Iconography, Painting, a
Synthesis of Drawing and Iconography, Specific Technology, General Methods of Refining
Forms on a Flat Surface in Drawing, Simple Forms of Iconography, Graphic Design in
Iconography, a General Course of the Restoration of Monumental Iconography, Complex
Forms in Iconography.
During the summer holidays the students concentrate on one of the major components of
the curriculum – the restoration of murals.
For the last four years, the students of the Theological Academy have been involved in the
conservation and restoration of one of the most significant monuments of Georgian culture:
frescoes on the wall of Saint Saba the Sanctified Church in Sapara (the 13 th c), the frescoes on
the walls of the altar and dome of Tbilisi Sioni Cathedral (the mid-19 th c) and the murals of
the same period on the walls of the building of the Ministry of Science and Education.
 The Academy gives the students the knowledge of a higher professional level which
enables them to successfully carry out the objectives set in their specialty.
The head of the Department is Professor Merab Buchukuri.

10. Department of Ecclesiastical Architecture

A rchitecture occupies a special place in the spiritual, social and cultural life of the
society and determines its development.The Patriarchate of Georgia, in partnership with the
governmental structural units, applies all its efforts to the active work directed to the
preservation of national heritage, steadily participates in the drawing up of the projects and
programs for the restoration and development of the historical environment, contributing to
the goal of a complete integration of the Georgian national monuments into the contemporary
urban environment. In the accomplishment of the aforementioned tasks at Tbilisi Theological
Academy and Seminary, no small significance is carried by the implementation of
architectural education in its bosom.
In 2013, according to the decree of the session of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of the
Orthodox Church of Georgia, a Department of Ecclesiastical Architecture, Iconography and
Restoration of Easel and Monumental Iconography was founded at Tbilisi Theological
Academy and Seminary. The following main dimensions determine the functions of the
Department of Architecture:
1) The First part of the teaching encompasses the drawing up of the curriculum for the
Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree, designation of the academic staff, organizing of the
academic process and its management. Apart from the subjects of general education, the
department administers the teaching of the following subjects: Foundations of Architecture,
Architectural Graphics, Foundations of Ecclesiastical Architecture.
2) The part of scientific research comprises the integration of cultural heritage in
national programs and projects, coordination of researches on Christian Orthodox
architecture as the core of the study, creating of theme trends in the international and local
media with the purpose of examination and popularization of Georgian national architecture.
3) Professional creative work and international collaboration – interplay of these two
contributes to preparation for specific exhibitions, arrangement of expositions in Georgia and
beyond her, construction of professional contacts with analogous structures throughout the
Christian world, with scientific and research centers, universities and institutes and with
donor organizations.
The Department of Ecclesiastical Architecture coordinates its work with the Council of
Architecture of the Patriarchate, the Ministry of Culture, the National Agency of Cultural
Heritage, the Fund of Municipal Development and the Union of Architects of Georgia.
The foundation of the department facilitates, on the one hand, to the study of Georgian
Ecclesiastical Architecture on a higher scientific level and, on the other hand, to the process
of integration of professional education with the preservation of national heritage. It involves
wider groups of the Georgian lay society into the bosom of Orthodox Teaching and scientific
work.
The head of the department is Archpriest Bessarion Menabde.

11. Department of Foreign Languages

The department of Foreign Languages at the Theological Academy and Seminary

performs the teaching of following languages: English, German, French, Ancient Greek,
Ancient Hebrew, Latin, Russian and Modern Greek.
The four aspects of spoken activity (writing, reading, listening and speaking) are
concentrated on the ability of communication.
The two-level course of study comprises four academic semesters. I. the objective of the
first level is the teaching of lexical and grammatical categories and necessary skills and
habits; II. the second stage is entirely dedicated to the improvement of the communicative
skills and habits. The department has an academic segment of Literary Criticism which
includes the lectionary, titled “A History of World Literature”.
Further, the department conducts work on lexicography and the teachers are actively
involved in the translation of various works.
The head of the Department is PhD in Philology, Professor Iuri Mosidze.

Creative Workshops Working Under the Supervision

 of the Department of the History and Theory of Christian Art

a) Iconography Workshop

T he workshop of iconography was opened in the first years of Tbilisi

Theological Academy. It was the very first workshop of the kind in Georgia which
played a significant role in the revival of iconography. The unity of the optional
method and compulsory professional study offers the students a possibility to gain a
profound knowledge in their specialty. Apart from the theoretical study and practical
course in the workshop, summer expeditions and practice give them access to the
most ancient and finest examples of Christian art.
It is the tradition of the workshop to paint special icons of patron saints for
individual eparchies and send them as presents to them. Icons of the Mother of God
of Bitchvinta, Nikozi and Hereti, and an icon of Saint Queen Ketevan have been
painted for this purpose. Diploma works of a high level are performed in the
workshop of iconography. One example of the goals, attained by such an endeavor,
is a handwritten parchment book of seven daily prayers, replete with illustrations
made in sheet gold, gold ink and natural pigments. Many of the icons painted here
belong today to various churches; others are kept in private collections. Every year,
the workshop organizes exhibitions of students’ works. Many of the leading
iconographers of Georgia have been trained in this workshop to become
professionals of academic excellence.
The head of the Iconography Workshop is PhD in Art History Manana
Chkhaidze.

b) Embroidery and Textile

Design Workshop

The Embroidery Workshop functioned as part of the Faculty of Christian Art

History and Theory.
 In 1994-2015, the Embroidery Workshop was a separate unit with the late Eter
Urotadze as its head. After her decease, the Embroidery Workshop and the
Workshop of Textile Design were unified.
The Embroidery Workshop has increasingly engaged in the revival of traditions
of gilded embroidery, the technique intensively used in the production of items of
clergymen’s apparels and utensils for liturgical services. Throughout the past two
decades, the students involved in this work have produced various items for several
churches of Tbilisi and for those of eparchies. Apparels were embroidered for the
Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II (a complete liturgical vestment with genuine pearls, gold
and silver thread), hierarchs and priests.
The workshop maintains contacts with the International Art Centre and with the
Centre of Caucasian Culture, located in Paris. The students exhibit their works at
local and foreign exhibitions.
The head of the workshop was the late Eter Urotadze until 2015. At present the
department is supervised by Mrs. Silva Tsereteli.
As concerns the workshop of textile design, it was opened in 1997. The specialty
of the workshop is the technology of carpet, tapestry, thick felt and batik.
The production of patterned textile, particularly of thick felt and carpet, has an
age-old tradition in Georgia. Even today, this tradition draws great attention. The
product is widely used in ecclesiastical life and has both spiritual and domestic
application. Tapestry and batik, being of foreign origin, have gone through Georgian
adaptations, having found their expression in specific patterns, coloring and shades.
The workshop applies thick felt technique to the production of eagle rugs,
ornamental clothing and various decorations. Due to a simple texture and mild
coloring, a superbly patterned silk cloth or batik is highly preferred in this workshop.
The students assiduously concentrate themselves on the art of textile design.
The head of the workshop is Mrs. Silva Tsereteli.

Laboratories of the Department of Iconography and Restoration

a) Laboratory of Mineral pigments

 In ancient Georgia, the art of fresco painting (painting on a surface of fresh,
moist plaster) evolved mainly on the basis of indigenous pigments. A rich palette of
colors found in ancient icons and frescoes attests to a high standard of fresco
painting in Georgia. These artworks of spirituality have maintained the depth and
vividness of colors throughout centuries which to this day arouse admiration in
every beholder. It indicates that our ancestors took great interest in this field and
truly possessed good knowledge and experience. It is this knowledge that the
Department of Iconography and Restoration of Iconography sees as its priority,
therefore one of the practical parts of it is the laboratory of mineral pigments. The
right pigment was derived from natural rock and minerals. The process, which is
very laborious, was conducted in monasteries and consisted of following operations:
the identification and selection of the initial material, washing, drying, enriching,
cutting in pieces, grinding, and in certain cases, baking. In a completely equipped
laboratory, all this is done in the process of teaching and the students’ direct
participation. The laboratory has already gained an experience to obtain pigments of
various shades in dozens. Each of the minerals is represented in several tones of
colors. Most of them are semi-precious stones of local origin. The students get to
know the rule of their use; simultaneously, some of their parameters are measured on
the ground. When delivering a course of theory, teaching the history of the use of
pigments, features of origination and their chemical consistence are highlighted.
Apart from it, a detailed analysis is given to the chemical bases; the use of materials
for the ground and plaster layers is studied; the laboratory represents a ground for
practical training. Here, after every lecture on the theory of a specific technique, the
students have access to the necessary material used in iconography which helps them
learn several operations.
The head of the laboratory is PhD in Geology Murad Tkemaladze.

b) Laboratory of Computer Graphics

W hile delivering a practical course at the Faculty of Iconography, Restoration

of Easel and Monumental Iconography, most of the specimens are chosen from
monuments of Easel and monumental iconography of medieval Georgia.
 The Laboratory of Computer drawing uses various programs and photos of
extremely impaired samples of iconography in the restoration and classification of
compositions and forms; according to diverse details, new samples are created and
incorporated in the study.
The laboratory scans photos of the entire material obtained around Georgia and
archives them, modifies compositions at different scales, makes Xerox copies of
graphic, black and white and colored specimens.
Electronic versions of Georgian and foreign literary works, written on the
medieval wall painting and Easel iconography, are preserved in the electronic library
of the laboratory.
The head of the laboratory is Mrs. Tamar Potskhverashvili.

C) Laboratory of Iconography

T his laboratory introduces the experience in the Georgian lithographic and

monumental iconography accumulated throughout many centuries. Apart from it, the
students study contemporary material, methods, technique and its application.
The students learn the following:
Various bases of iconography (they study different coatings for walls, also
wooden boards, veneer, cardboard, paper);
Different types of painting ground, its features and use;
Preparation of sketches and their shift on the ground;
Natural pigments and their connectives (egg emulsion, casein emulsion, animal
glue).
While creating works of lithographic and monumental iconography, it is highly
critical to know the technology of the work. Therefore the course is quite long and
comprises three academic years (six semesters).
The head of the laboratory is Lasha Vanidze.
 D) Laboratory of Restoration

T he most ancient monuments of iconography preserved in Georgia are dated to

the 7th-8th cc. Many of the masterpieces of medieval painting are damaged.
The laboratory of restoration gives the students every chance to master the
technology and technique used in fresco painting. The students use various methods
of plastering walls and painting on them with wet as well as with mixed and dry
technique. In the operations of conservation and restoration they use artificially aged
and damaged samples of painting where they have to fasten firmly loose layers of
paint, fill in lifted areas and cracks, fill the damaged areas of the ground and
dislodged pieces with authentic material, remove soot and wax using special
solutions, brush away salt and add tinge were necessary, etc. In the laboratory, the
students can also practice in the quenching of lime, preparation of painting grounds
in various proportions and methods; inert fillers are prepared for the
grounds.Samples of lithographic painting are also used in the work of the laboratory.
The students make up iconographic charts on which they pinpoint the accomplished
work of conservation and restoration with the help of special marks determined
beforehand.
The head of the laboratory is Mr. Merab Tatishvili.

E) Laboratory of Enamel

M ining and styling of precious metals was one of the foremost specialties in Georgia

and this is proved by numerous archaeological findings. It has been explored that even in the
4th millennium BC, Kartvelian tribes extracted and molded non-ferrous metals and were well
skilled in metallurgy. In that era the highest level of metallurgical production prompted the
appearance of strong workshops producing utensils and products of gold, ceramic and glass
and this is attested by the artifacts exposed in the museums and exhibition halls of this
country. In the laboratory of enamel, which is part of the Faculty of Iconography, Restoration
of Lithographic and Monumental Iconography, the students acquire a good knowledge of
traditional ancient methods as well as contemporary technique of working on non-ferrous
metals, such as copper, gold and silver; these are melting of metals, rolling, preparation of
solders, soldering and also giving a leafy form to the melted and molded metal. These stages
are followed by decorating and embellishing when stamping, forging, filigree and enamel are
used.
There are several types of enamel: partition enamel, enameling on engraving, filigreed
enamel, relief enamel and painted enamel. The most complex and exquisite technique is that
of partition enamel which was most widespread as traditional in Georgia. Therefore, the
teaching of this technique as central takes much of the period of time assigned to this subject.
Here, the students learn the preparation of metal for the basis of enamel work; the proper
metal leaves are processed and cut in forms of partition; according to the prepared sketches,
the partitions are curved and set in the necessary shape or soldered after which enamel is
applied; also the students acquire skills of cleaning and polishing of the obtained plate and
the preparation of necessary settings for the embellishment. Apart from all this, they have
every opportunity to attend the theoretical course delivered in the exposition halls of
museums with a simultaneous study of the historical monuments accessible in them.
The head of the laboratory is Mr. Ramaz Goderdzishvili.

IV Publishing Office of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary

T he Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II assigned the
Academy and Seminary with a task to work out the strategy of constructing relations between
modern science and theology, of placing scientific achievements in the service of man’s
spiritual edification and perfection. The publishing office of the Academy and Seminary is
one of the foremost units which have set this objective as the core of its activity.
The publishing office carries out full-scale work in order to help the students broaden the
scope of access to ancient Georgian translated and original writings, representing works of
remarkable value for their specialties. Georgian philologists and textologists have been
working for decades on the publication of these monuments. For the last nine years (2010-
2019) the publishing office of the Academy and Seminary has published more than fifteen
academic editions. The tremendous contribution of the great Georgian Christian scholars and
translators - St. Euthymius and Giorgi the Athonites, Ephrem Mtsire, St. Theophilus the
Hieromonk and many other prominent ecclesiastical figures - is their translations of the
writings of the Holy Byzantine Fathers: Basil of Caesarea, Gregory the Theologian, Gregory
of Nyssa, John Chrysostom, Basil of Seleucia, Epiphanius of Cyprus and many others. With
this voluminous output profound theological thought is introduced among the students of the
Academy and Seminary and in this way their formation as of worthy Church ministers and
skilled theologians is conducted. These editions and the environment, in which this work was
carried out, were appraised by Edisher Chelidze, Professor of the Theological Academy and
Academician of Gelati Scientific Academy at oane of the presentations: “I presume, relying
on today’s publications, it can be undoubtedly declared that Tbilisi Theological Academy has
inherited the best philological and textological achievements from Korneli Kekelidze
National Centre of Manuscripts (former Korneli Kekelidze Institute of Manuscripts) where
the publication of ancient Georgian ecclesiastical texts in their revised form is executed on a
highly academic level. It would have been impossible to enrich the nation with editions of
higher quality if not for the scholarly level and scholarly fidelity that have been firmly
engrained at the Theological Academy.”
The Publishing Office of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary coordinates the
publication of a periodical, titled “Theological and Scholarly Works” and a collection of
ecclesiastical and scientific works, titled “Gragnili”(Scroll). These two editions are another
proof that the teachers of this school also involve themselves in active research work which is
the guarantee of their professional growth. The majority of articles, occurring in the
periodical edition of theological and scholarly works, feature research conducted in all the
fields of ecclesiastical literature, encompassing theology, ecclesiastical philology, Church
history, reviews in recent theological and scholarly editions. As concerns “Gragnili”, this
collection is open to collaboration with junior teachers and holders of Doctorate and Master’s
Degrees (three books of it have already been released).
The publishing office never neglects its priority which is the publication of high quality
textbooks, comprising achievements throughout history in corresponding theological
specialties and spiritual literature.
The head of the Publishing office is Nino Melikishvili, Professor, PhD in Philology.

(q.v. more details of the publications of the Theological Academy and Seminary in Supplementary
Text N2, pp. 210-216)
 V The Monthly Newspaper
“The Key of David”

T he monthly newspaper of the Theological Academy and Seminary, bearing the

same name “The Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary”, was founded in
dedication to the jubilee, marking the 10th Anniversary of this school in 1999. In
2003, on the advice of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia His Holiness and
Beatitude Ilia II, the name of the newspaper was altered into “The Key of David”
and each issue had as an epigraph the following words from the Revelation of John
the Theologian: “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: these things
says He who is holy, He who is true, He who has the key of David, He who opens
and no one shuts, and shuts, and no one opens, but the One Who set it open before
you”. The newspaper exerts every effort to prove itself worthy of the name: “The
Key of David” - the heavenly key which opens the heavenly Jerusalem, the
Kingdom of Heaven and which belongs to its only Master, the Savior.
The newspaper of the Theological Academy and Seminary has its input in
the students’ education and moral improvement. It encompasses every specialty of
the ancient Georgian ecclesiastical literature without exception. The material based
on the publications of lay and ecclesiastical researchers, working mainly in this
trend, is very informative which is ensured by the specification of the newspaper: the
results of profound investigation are condensed in a short newspaper article.
The target of the newspaper is to embrace the entire spiritual life of the country
which is replete with conferences, TV shows, and meetings with public figures… all
these are within the frame of the possibilities, accounted in the newspaper.
 A personal example is an effective tool which can facilitate to the fundamental
change in a human being’s life and moral consciousness. The paths followed by our
great ancestors, among whom many were consecrated saints, can be compared with
the Golgotha passed by Christ, and this is not to be rendered to oblivion. “The Key
of David” makes efforts to highlight their merit and heritage.
The newspaper regularly informs the reader about the students’ improvements in
their studies within the Academy and Seminary. On its pages there is always a place
for every achievement which impels others to emulate them.
Last of all, the most significant among its dimensions is that which makes the
newspaper distinguished and exceptional: It displays the legacy of the Holy Fathers
obligatory in every issue. In order to take a deep insight and internalize the Teaching
of the Church, it is immensely helpful to read excerpts from their writings, at times
complete homilies.
The editor of the newspaper is Mr. Givi Sheqiladze.

VI Scholarly and Research Work

Conducted by the Teachers of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary

S imultaneously with the academic process, intensive scholarly work is carried out at the
Theological Academy and Seminary. The teachers of this school are erudite researchers.
They have enriched the field of theology and Old Georgian ecclesiastical literature with many
esteemed investigations.
Here, the first and foremost subject of research is the Holy Scripture. The Biblical books
started to be translated into Georgian from the 5th century. The oldest extant translations date
as far back as the 7th-11th centuries. The academic publication of these texts was for the most
part initiated early in the 20th century. But the researches conducted on them is an
inexhaustible process of improvement. The VIII volume of a series of dogmatic and
theological works issued in 2007 contains a unique publication, titled “Spekali
martlmadideblobisa” (The Precious Stone of Orthodoxy). The editor of the book is PhD in
Philology and Theology, Professor, member of Gelati Scientific Academy, head of the
Department of Patristics and Dogmatics Edisher Chelidze. The title of the eight hundred-
page opus is explained by the monuments it contains, among which the Book of the Four
New Testaments, Revelation and the book of Psalms should be mentioned first of all.
“Spekali martlmadideblobisa” (The Precious Stone of Orthodoxy) differs from the same
monuments published prior to it with its qualitative features, because each and every existing
Greek source is considered in the process of the ascertainment of the texts, errors are totally
corrected, and the footnotes corroborate the corrections. According to the same principle, that
is to say, giving a careful consideration to all of the ancient Georgian editions, Prof. E.
Chelidze published the Holy Scripture in 2016, the text of which he had conclusively
established according to all the existing Georgian editions (of the Old and The New
Testaments), after having scrupulously compared it with the Greek source.
Editions on Orthodox liturgics are of essential urgency. From this point of view, the
Theological Academy has already established itself as irreproachable. Starting from 1995,
many works among the significant ones of the Department of Liturgics and Patristics were
prepared by Archpriest Bidzina Gunia, Professor of the Theological Academy, PhD in
Theology and Philology and member of Gelati Scientific Academy. Several important
liturgical monuments have been published and supplied with conclusive research by him.
These are: “Paschal Calculations According to The Mtskheta Psalms”, “The Denouncement
of the False Teachings of Astrology”, “The System of Chronology and Church Calendar”. He
is the author of the following monographs: “The Essence and Significance of the Julian
Calendar”, “A Fragment of the Svetitskhoveli Fresco – ‘The Zodiac Arc’”, “Theological
Aspects of the Notion of a Year and the Church Calendar”, “On the Julian Calendar” and
many more articles on the rules of ecclesiastical ministry and on the theological examination
of liturgical monuments. One of the issues of tremendous importance in Archpriest Bidzina
Gunia’s works is the definition of the principle which determines the observance of the
moveable day of Easter, according to ancient Georgian manuscripts. Various Christian
nations used different chronology in this; in addition, it also depended on the calculation of
the day of Jewish Passover which was linked with the lunar year. This created a most
complex pattern requiring a creation of multiple charts. These are the issues the author tries to
explain to the reader in the aforementioned works. Additionally, there is an important
research concerning the systems of chronology or “eras”, physical, biological and liturgical
phenomena of time, space and calendar, based on the main astronomical conditions.
A young teacher of the Academy Roman Bliadze is producing fruitful work in this field;
he has already dedicated several compilations of minor volume to the celebrations of the
Nativity, those of the Twelve Great Feasts and yet more to the feast days of the Mother of
God; all of them are good textbooks for the students of the Academy and Seminary.
A remarkable monument of liturgical literature, titled “The Great Book of Needs” has
been published here (Editor E. Chelidze). The core principle of this edition, maintained throu-
ghout the book, is indispensable for every liturgical writing. It suggests the structure
conducive to the Church ministry.
A complete prayer book, titled “Prayers and Akathist to the Mother of God” required
substantial preparatory work before its publication in the Series of Ecclesiastical Library. The
selection of material for the book was undertaken with the blessing of His Holiness and
Beatitude, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II. The prayer book was published with
the consideration of the earliest of available manuscripts and the material of Greek sources. A
separate book, containing a review of the entire text with a list of every new edition
introduced in it, accompanies the book.
Another theoretical work on liturgics by E. Chelidze also represents this field. It is titled
“The Most Ancient Source on the Fifty-Day Fast-Free Span (from Easter to the Descent of
the Holy Spirit)”. The author examines in it one of the canonical writings from the Great
Canon Law of the Orthodox Church, which contains an unknown material about the
observance of fast on Wednesdays and Fridays.

The scholars, working on hymnography, examine the legacy of our great ancestors with
precision and have achieved success in recent years. The head of the Faculty of the Study of
Religions, PhD in Philology, Professor Lela Khachidze has dedicated the following
monographs to these themes: “The Poetry of Ioane Minchkhi”, “On the Heritage of Ephrem
Mtsire in Hymnography” and “On the Ancient Georgian Art of Translation”. She is also the
author of several dozens of articles examining the earliest period of hymnography in Georgia,
relation between Georgian and Byzantine traditions of hymnography, origin and structure of
hymns, themes from the history of Christian Poetry, etc.
Ancient Georgian ecclesiastical literature is replete with Greek treatises, translated into
Georgian by Georgian Church Fathers from the 10 th-11th centuries onward. During the last
century, many academic establishments and many experienced scholars participated in the
intensive preparatory work of drawing up this material for publication. Among them are the
professors and teachers of Tbilisi Theological Academy. The following editions are a small
part of the entire material released in recent years: “The Six Days of Creation” by Saint
Gregory of Nyssa; “The Innocents Massacred in Bethlehem” by Basil of Seleucia, an
unknown sermon of Saint Germanus of Constantinople, titled “For the Cross and Sacred
Icons”, St. John Chrisostom’s homiletic collection “The Pearl” (“Margaliti”), a book on
Church Fathers’ “Teachings on the Incarnation of God by the Holy Fathers of the Church”,
“Against Heresies” by Saint Epiphanius of Salamis, “Polemical Speeches Against the
Armenian Monophysitism” by Niketas Stethatos, “Commentaries on the Song of Songs” by
Saint Gregory of Nyssa, etc. Often, the professors and teachers of the Theological Academy
can embrace the depth of theological issues with more precision than it is attainable for
professors of other academic institutes, particularly when supplying texts with comments
grounded in deep theological knowledge.

The Rector of the Academy and Seminary, PhD in Theology and Philology Protopresbyter
Giorgi Zviadadze published the ancient Georgian translation of Saint Gregory of Nyssa’s
treatise “On Virginity”, appending to it theological commentary indispensable to
understand the essence of the work. Additionally, E. Chelidze’s noteworthy commentary
accompanies the following texts: “The Live-giving Spirit” - this book suggests several issues
of Baptism grounded on various Greek sources; “The Love of Perfection Viewed by Vigilant
Saints” – a book of selections by Great Byzantine Fathers. In the format of dogmatic-
theological series, titled “Church Sanctities”, the teacher PhD in Philology Ana
Chumburidze of the Theological Academy published “Georgian-Greek Theological
Comments on the Angelic Powers”. The aforementioned book contains the Georgian
translation of the most noteworthy theological commentaries which the outstanding
monument of Saint Dionysius the Areopagite “On the Celestial Hierarchy” is furnished with.
The commentaries were translated by Saint Eprem Mtsire and are considered to be the work
of paramount importance.

In recent years, the first volume of ancient Georgian ecclesiastic literature has been
printed; it contains the most significant five original hagiographical writings translated into
Modern Georgian. They are: “The Martyrdom of Saint Queen Shushanik”, “The Martyrdom
of Saint Eustathius of Mtskheta”, “The Martyrdom of Saint Abo of Tbilisi”, “The Life and
Godly Citizenship of Saint Grigol of Khantsta”, “The Life and Godly Citizenship of Saint
Serapion of Zarzma” (editor - E. Chelidze). All this represents a novelty in the Georgian
philological sciences. Also in recent years, another important treatise has been translated into
modern Georgian – it is Ephrem Mtsire’s Georgian version of Saint Palladius of Helenopolis’
“Lausiac History” (editor - PhD in Philology K. Mamasakhlisi).
 Here, at this Academy the teachers have started to translate from Ancient Greek into
Modern Georgian the monuments of ancient Byzantine ecclesiastical literature which are not
found in Old Georgian. This work requires a thorough knowledge of Ancient Georgian,
Ancient Greek and theology which the scholars perfectly exhibited while being engaged in
the work. The mentioned monuments embrace various fields of ecclesiastical literature. The
following are a few of them: “The Shepherd of Hermas” – the writing of the Early Christian
period, “Homilies on the Baptism” by Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, “The Martyrdom of Saint
Polycarp of Smyrna”, “The First Epistle to the Corinthians” by Clement of Rome, “The Epi-
stle to the Philippians” by Saint Polycarp of Smyrna, “On the Soul and the Body and the
Passion of the Lord” by Alexander of Alexandria, Saint Gregory of Nyssa’s “The Life of
Moses”, “On the Meaning of the Christian Name or Profession” and “On the Nativity of the
Savior and the Massacred Infants in Bethlehem” of the same author, Saint Cyril of
Alexandria’s “Commentary on the Gospel by John” and “Teaching on the Original Man”,
“Saint John Chrysostom’s “The Interpretation of the Epistles of Paul”, Saint Gregory
Palamas’ “The Hermits of the Holy Mountain”, “The Epistle to the Romans” by Saint
Ignatius of Antioch, etc.
This arduous work is executed by the principal scholars of the working group, among
them Professer E. Chelidze, Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze, PhD in Theology I. Orzhonia,
and a doctorate student G. Julakidze. PhD in Philology Professor Gvantsa Koplatadze of the
Department of Georgian History is also engaged in this work. The latter has enriched
Georgian ecclesiastical literature with numerous praiseworthy translations: “Comments on
the Psalms” by Basil the Great, “The Six Days of Creation” by the same author, “Comments
on the Gospel by Matthew” by St. Theophylactos the Bulgarian, “The Great Canon” of St.
Andrew of Crete, “On the Creation of Man” by St. Gregory of Nyssa, “An Introduction to
the Fundamentals of Dogmatics” by St. John of Damascus, “The Feast or on the Chastity” by
Methodios of Pitara, “The Third Word for the Defense of the Icons” by St. John of
Damascus.
All of these translated works are furnished with commentaries and research section.
We put special emphasis on the works of theoretical research published in the form of
separate monographs and in the periodicals of the Theological Academy; among them are:
“Theological and Scientific Works”, the ecclesiastical and scholarly collection “Gragnili”
(The Scroll) the religious and educational journal “The Understanding Heart”, the
ecclesiastical and philosophical journal “The Word of Truth”, the journal “The Foundation”,
also those published in the Orthodox journals beyond Georgia (the journal of the Eparchy of
Saint Spiridon of Tremithus of the Church of Cyprus, titled “Saint Spiridon”, periodicals of
the theological faculties of Bucharest and Constance State Universities, in the journals
“Theological Studies” and “Le Muséon”, regularly published in Belgium).
The arrangement of publications in the periodicals follows various specialties of
ecclesiastical literature and Christian Orthodox trends, at large. It is impossible to display the
25 sections of the entire volume of articles in a concise review, but according to the
enumerated sections below it is quite easy to see the versatility and depth of the themes
suggested in these works.
The sections are: 1. Dogmatic Theology; 2. Exegesis; 3. Liturgics; 4. Homiletics; 5.
Hagiography; 6. Liturgical Homiletics; 7. Ascetics; 8. Hymnography; 9. Polemics; 10.
Patristics; 11. Theology; 12. Catechesis; 13. Church History; 14. Ecclesiology; 15. Church
Epistolography; 16. The Theology of Virtues; 17. The Essence of Christianity, 18.
Anthropology, 19. The Holy Scripture; 20. Knowledge and Faith; 21. Ecclesiological
Philology; 22. Christianity and Contemporaneity; 23. Orthodox Theology; 24. Church and
State; 25. The Christian Thinkers of the West.
The professors and teachers choose for their written works topics related to the profile of
the departments they belong to. We have already given a general description of their
activities. Here, we would like to complete the overall picture:

The Department of Biblical Studies presents works on multiple subjects among which,
along with purely bibliographical researches, are those describing various aspects of the life
in Church. The head of the department, PhD in History and Theology Archpriest Giorgi
Gugushvili has in recent years investigated the history of the eparchies of the Georgian
Orthodox Church; to this subject he has dedicated several dozens of articles recounting on the
eparchies of Mtskheta and Tbilisi, Racha, Nikortsmida, Borjomi and Bakuriani, and of
Chiatura. Apart from these isolated descriptions, Archpriest Giorgi Gugushvili has written
two extensive books, one of which examines 30 eparchies and the other covers the rest of the
38 ones. Archpriest Giorgi Gugushvili has also been investigating the theological questions
of the Centenary Chronicle of Zhamtaagmtsereli (the Chronicler), presenting to the reader
the most ancient history of Georgia in the light and context of faith.
In 2012, the teacher of the Department of Biblical studies, PhD in Philological Sciences,
Nino Melikishvili, published the first volume of essays on the ancient Georgian ecclesiastical
literature which contains a review of two specialties: Bibliology and Homiletics (the co-
author of the latter is the late Manana Maisuradze). The volume delineates the discoveries of
Georgian and foreign researchers made during the last several decades.
The monographs “Biblical Archaeology” (co-author G. Lortkipanidze) and “Early
Christianity in Georgia” contain dozens of works written by the specialist of Early
Christianity, Marika Mshvildadze. This material represents the study of the history of
Christianity based on written and archaeological sources of early Christianity. The reference
to the Holy Scripture as the historical source clearly elucidates the truth of biblical facts and
phenomena.
Giorgi Gvasalia, the teacher of the Department of Biblical studies, examines some of the
issues of the Christian school of thought in the light of Christian faith and Teaching. The
following are his works: “Christian Thought on the Evil”, “Christianity and
Contemporaneity”, “ Biblical Thought on the Nation as the Chosen One”. He has also
translated significant books by well-known Russian Theologians V. Bolotov and A. Lebedev,
titled: “The History of the Church in the Period of the Ecumenical Councils” and “A History
of the Ecumenical Church Councils”; also, highly important is the work Giorgi Gvasalia
produced on the recently published book, titled “Commentaries on the Book of Genesis”.
This eight hundred-page opus is the first volume of the series, titled “An Exegetical
Collection”. Within the range of this series Giorgi Gvasalia considers to present
commentaries on the entire Old Testament.
Another teacher of the same department Archpriest Archil Khachidze has done
considerable translations from Russian. He has translated the work of the well-known
theologian V. Lurie, titled “Saint Cyprian of Carthage and Ecclesiological Issues of the 3 rd –
4th Centuries” and P. Markov’s book, titled: ”The Sacraments of the Orthodox Church”. The
author has translated another book, titled “The Ecumenical Councils – History, Theology,
Canons”. These are the translated works which will broaden the students’ scope of thought.
Apart from translation, Archpriest Archil Khachidze also focuses on the theoretical analysis
of the following themes: “On the Essence of the Symbolic Image of the Evangelists”, “Pliny
the Younger’s Chronicle about Christ and Christianity” and “Church Canons and Secular
Laws Related to the Monastic Order of the Entire Church of the Ecumenical Councils”.

The Department of Church History and Canonical Law studies issues which are crucial for
the correct functioning of the contemporary Orthodox Church and her future development. It
is not an incidental fact that some of the teachers of this department have acquired their
education in various Orthodox Christian educational centers beyond Georgia; they take an
active part in worldwide symposiums and conferences. This activity finds its expression in
the publication of their works in local and foreign scientific journals. They expound in them
on the history of the Georgian Orthodox Church, its juridical foundations which in the past
conducted and now also conduct the life in the Church. Priest Alexi Kshutashvili, PhD in
Theology, explores a broad spectrum of these issues in his work. The themes analyzed by
him concern both the inception of the Georgian Orthodox Church and the current affairs in
her life (“The Role of the Georgian Church in the State Systems of Jurisdiction and Law in
the Middle Ages”, “The Guidance in the First Churches of the 1 st – 3rd Centuries,” “The
Georgian Orthodox Church in the 6th-7th Centuries and the Controversies in Confessions
Thereof”, “The Relationships of the State and the Church in Georgia in the Middle Ages and
the Unique Symbiosis of the Western and Eastern Canonical Principles Characteristic of
Those Relationships”, “The Statute of the Management of the Georgian Orthodox Church”,
“The Historical and Canonical Principles of the Apostolic Status of the Georgian Orthodox
Church”, “The Rights of Conscience, Religion and Faith in Georgia in the 20 th Century”,
“The Place of the Georgian Orthodox Church in the Diptych”). Very important is also the
part of the whole opus which gives a review of circumstances in the Church in the period of
Communist Rule, its heaviest outcome and her release from those consequences. In the light
of the Canon Law the author examines the most grievous subject for Georgia today which is
the practical loss of territories, and places it under international resonance, speaking about the
jeopardy to the security of European citizens as the aftermath of this reality.
Contacts with the Orthodox educational institutions of foreign countries make it easier to
intensively carry out academic and research activities. The present Editor of the journal “the
Understanding Heart” Teimuraz Buadze (the previous four issues were edited by E.
Chelidze) is the alumnus of Tbilisi Theological Academy. After graduation, he continued his
studies at Chambésy Institute of Orthodox Theology (Switzerland – Geneva) - at the
Departments of Orthodox Theology of the Universities of Fribourg and Geneva. The Degree
of Doctor of Theology was conferred upon him precisely at this institute. Teimuraz Buadze
is the author of interesting works in which, from the perspective of the faith and philosophical
point of view, he expounds on the general ethical principles of a human being’s driving force
and moral motives for his concrete actions (“The Ethical and Religious Basis of the
Phenomenon of Personality” and “The Philosophical and Religious Aspects of Ethics”); also,
a series of articles on the understanding of the concept of freedom in the Orthodox ascetic
tradition and in Western and Eastern Christianity. Highly interesting are T. Buadze’s essays
in which he analyzes the forms of relationship between the Church and the state, trends of
non-Orthodox mysticism, philosophical and religious standpoint on the immortality of the
soul. The teacher of the Academy Zurab Ekaladze is entrusted with the section “The
Christian Thinkers of the West”. In his works he writes about the legacy of the remarkable
Western theologians and philosophers Giovanni di Fidanza (Bonaventure), Etienne Gilson,
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. Apart from these authors, the journal suggests the Georgian
version of the writing of Protopresbyter Goerges Florovski: “Saint Gregory Palamas and the
Traditions of Holy Fathers” translated by the doctoral student of the Academy Giorgi
Gvelesiani. The journal permanently contains the articles of the deputy editor Irakli Orzhonia
(The Mystery of Resurrection”, “Christian Anthropology”, “The Prophecies of the Old
Testament About the Incarnation of the Son of God”, etc.). Besides the philosophical and
ethical subjects, which are studied in the perspective of Christianity, the department
concentrates on the branch of specifically practical value for today’s life – a successful
economic management in the monasteries and churches (the teacher of the Academy, a
doctoral student Nugzar Samkharadze is head of the financial office).
The Department of the Study of Religions is Prolific. The department member Archpriest
Teimuraz Tatarashvili is the author of the textbook “The History of World Religions” which
is based on the author’s very interesting research and references to the relevant literature in
different languages. The department member Z. Ekaladze is the author of a supplementary
textbook and a number of articles on the history of religions. The head of the department,
Professor L. Khachidze is the author of articles on the teaching of the Study of Religions and
has participated in numerous international symposiums and conferences in the capacity of an
expert of the subject. Professor R. Tsikvadze of the same department is the author of the
monograph “Islam”.
Archpriest David Tsitskishvili’s publication “The Life of Saint Nicholas and Wonders
Worked by Him” suggests material which is relatively less known to the public.

The teacher of the department A. Asatiani leads intensive work in the field of Christian
Pedagogy. From the standpoint of Christianity, the scholar founds his significant conclusions
on the study of the ancient Georgian written texts. His works include: “Theological Education
and Pedagogical Ideas According to ‘The Life of Grigol of Khantsta’ ”, “Concepts on
Upbringing and Education in ‘The Martyrdom of Abo of Tbilisi’ by Ioane Sabanisdze”,
“Ioane Chrysostom’s Pedagogical Ideas” and “The Objective of Upbringing in Biblical
Judaism”, etc.
 Christian art is a field of paramount importance for a close study of theological issues.
Iconography and fresco painting is a simple way of the expression of reality and wisdom
enshrined in the Holy Scriptures and Holy Fathers’ heritage. The research conducted by the
teachers of the department covers numerous questions. Here, we would like to mark out its
main dimensions: Georgian ecclesiastical art in the Middle Ages (icon and iconography); the
illustration of the 11th-13th century Georgian manuscripts and iconography in the context of
Byzantine art; the theme of the interrelationship of monumental and lithographic iconography
in the Georgian ecclesiastical art of the Middle Ages; the study of the ancient Georgian
ecclesiastical art from the perspective of typology; the trends and problems in the modern
Georgian ecclesiastical art (the 20th-21st cc). The works of PhD in Art History Nana
Burchuladze pertain precisely to these issues as to the ones of tremendous significance. In
this body of work amounting to dozens, she describes themes which later make up the
foundation for the subsequent works of a more generalizing character in the above cited
trends. The scholar has taken the icon as the focus of the study from various angles: painted
icons, icons from the Svaneti provenance in the light of the 11th century written sources, 11 th-
14th century Georgian and Sinai icons, the workshop of Georgian iconography on Mount
Sinai, Georgian icons on Mount Athos, the 14th century icons and frescoes of the Monastery
at Ubisa, old and new icons of Saint Martyr Queen Ketevan, the icon of Saint Eustachius
Placidas, icons of the Great Twelve Feasts and those of all types of Deesis, etc.
Mariam Didebulidze, PhD in Art History, Professor of the Academy, highlights cardinal
points and distinctive trends in the Study of Christian Art. Her highly significant research
focuses on: Christianity and Georgian Art Study, the issue of national form in Christian art,
wall-painting (“The System of the 13th Century Frescoes on the Khintsvisi Church of Saint
Nicholas”, “The Cycle of the Life of Saint Nicholas in the Khintsvisi Frescoes”, “The Murals
of the Khintsvisi Church of Saint Nicholas Described in the Context of Its Contemporaneous
Byzantine Painting” are the works in which she gives a thorough analysis of the frescoes of
the Khintsvisi Church of Saint Nicholas). She has also studied the murals of the Jerusalem
Monastery of the Holy Cross and those of Zenobani. Very interesting are the works of
Professor Didebulidze which highlight ecclesiastical and theological themes. These include:
“The Holy Feast of the Nativity of the Savior in Christian Art”, “For the Depiction of
Theological Polemics in the Murals of the Khintsvisi Church of Saint Nicholas”, “The
Appearance of Saint Eusthatius in the Georgian Art of the Middle Ages”, “The Icon of the
Resurrection – a Sermon Expressed in Colors and Lines”. Apart from it, she suggests a work
of generalizing character, titled “One Iconographic Feature of the Programs of Murals in
Queen Tamar’s Era”. Many of Mariam Didebulidze’s works have been published in foreign
periodicals.
Helen Kavlelashvili, PhD in Art History, Professor in the Department of Christian Art has
studied many splendid examples of murals and jewelry. Some examples are: the murals of
Lekhtagi, Bagineti, the frescoes of the Mkheri Church, frescoes and inscriptions (in the
Mzetsveri Church of Saint George, the Vere Church of the Mother of God), icons (the icons
of the Mother of God of the temples in Tsageri, Atskuri, Zhinvali, Ubisa, the icon of Saint
Simeon the Miracle-Worker in Ishkhani, the icon of Saint Marina in Mgvimevi), seals with
an archaic scene of the Nativity and an image of the Mother of God, Georgian cloisonné
(inlaid enamel), a processional Cross from Okona in Gelati, a mitre from Alaverdi. This is an
incomplete list of those sacred objects to which the scholar has dedicated several dozens of
works.
The teacher of the same department Asmat Okropiridze, PhD in Art History, has
dedicated several highly interesting works to a profound investigation of ecclesiastical art. In
them she gives a generalizing vision of the material comprehensive of theology. These are:
“The Aesthetic Ground of a Christian Icon”, “On Christian Typology”, “On the Essence of
the Mtskheta Monastery of the Holy Cross”, “On the Typology of the Gergeti Monastery of
the Holy Trinity”, “Theological Problems of the 12th Century as Revealed in the Murals of
the Principal Temple of Bethany”, “The General Aspect of the Paintings in the Monastery of
Bethany and of Orthodox Painting”, “On the Language of Expression in Georgian Art”, “A
Symbolic Interpretation of Red in the Georgian Painting of the Middle Ages”, “A Fresco –
Purified from Earthliness and Expressed in Flatness”, “On the Painting of a Body in the
Orthodox Painting”, etc. All these writings display their indispensability in comprehending
theological issues.
PhD in Art History, Professor of the Department of Christian Art History Dimitri
Tumanishvili, has studied Christian architectural monuments (the Monastery of Davidgareji,
the Holy Cross Temple of Mtskheta, the Tbilisi Principal Castle, the Temple of Bana, the
most ancient Georgian temples located on the territory of Apkhazeti, etc.). The results of this
study are generalized in his works which are: “The Question of Style in the Study of
Georgian Art”, “On the Iconography of Architecture”, “On the Typology of the Architecture
of Eastern Christianity”, “On the National Unity of the Georgian Architecture of the Middle
Ages”, “Symbolism in the Georgian Architecture of the Middle Ages”, “Craftsmen of
Building in Georgia in the Middle Ages”, etc.
 Another teacher of the department, Helen Machavariani, PhD in Art History has dedicated
dozens of articles, several monographs and albums to the study of illuminated manuscripts.
She linked the issue of manuscript embellishment with another angle of the study of this most
ancient material –which is the study of the calligraphy it is written in. The Professor has
concluded the results of her research of several dozen manuscripts in the following articles:
“The Depiction of the Traditions of Art of the Black Mount Literary School in the Gelati
Four Gospels of the 12th Century”, “The Georgian Illuminated Manuscripts of the 9th - 10th
Centuries”, “Georgian Illuminated Manuscripts”, “The Principles of the Graphic System of
the Georgian Alphabet”, “The Embellishment of Georgian Manuscripts”, “The Art of Book
Embellishment” (a monograph), “Georgian Manuscripts and Issues of Writing and
Embellishment” (a monograph). We have only given a few of several dozens of Helen
Machavariani’s works.
The Material uncovered in archaeological excavations and also epigraphic study of
monuments make inestimable contribution to the Christian art. PhD in Art Study Giorgi
Gagoshidze who delivers lectures in “Eastern Christian and Armenian Architecture of the
Middle Ages”, is the author of numerous articles in which he examines Georgian inscriptions
survived in the Holy Land, the architecture of the Dirbi Monastery of the Dormition of the
Mother of God, other inscriptions, reliefs, samples of Georgian epigraphy in the Church of
Saint Nino on Mount Tkhoti, carving on stone and wood, representing Georgian ecclesiastical
art in the Middle Ages, an inscribed Holy Cross on the floor of a church, the fragments of the
initial iconostasis in the Temple of Alaverdi.
Wall-paintings in Georgian temples suggest the rarest samples of art. Images of the Savior
- “The Angel of a Great Intent” – are well-known in the Georgian art.
PhD in Art History Nino Chikhladze has dedicated interesting work to this theme. She is
also the author of the essays: “The Wall-painting of the Nuzali Church”, “A Theme of the
Veneration of the Mother of God in the 14th Century Georgian Murals”, “The Svetitskhoveli
Wall-painting”, “The Wall-paintings of the Gelati Church of Saint George” and “The
Georgian Wall-painting in the Middle Ages”, etc.
Another teacher of the department, Nino Giorgobiani is successful in the study of wall-
painting. The principle subject of her researches is the illustration of the Akathist to the
Mother of God in the Georgian art of the Middle Ages. She has published several articles on
this issue. In addition, she also studies the paintings of the Bolnisi Sioni Church, ancient Altar
veils, etc.
 An additional branch of Christian art is the study of veils which is well-displayed in
Gulnaz Baratashvili’s articles. Being a teacher of the same department, she has studied a
complex of them in Svetitskhoveli, specifically, the iconography of veils belonging to Queen
Tamarand Queen Ana Khanum. She is also the co-author of a monograph on Georgian
embroidery, a participant of the project within the framework of which the corpus of
inscriptions on the ecclesiastical embroidery has been studied.

The professors and teachers of the Department of Georgian History are steadfast in their
study of the history of the Georgian Orthodox Church. The contribution of His Eminence
Metropolitan Anania of Manglisi and Tsalka in this work should be marked out since a
clergyman’s vision of the history of the Church comprehends such elements and depths
which can rarely be observed in a layman’s perception.
With the blessing of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II, His Eminence Anania
conducts the process of identification and verification of the true history of Georgia in the
Permanent Commission of the Patriarchate. The setting up of such a commission was
prompted by a number of distorted facts which occurred in the Georgian historiography
during the period of Communist rule. The objective of the commission is to determine the
correct method of the study as the basis of the History of the Georgian Orthodox Apostolic
Church. Having studied many of the issues in a new trend, His Eminence Anania Japaridze
published a work of high literary standard in four volumes, titled “The History of the
Apostolic Church of Georgia”. He is also the author of several series, one of which is
“Sources for the History of the Church of Georgia”. Work on these volumes is conducted
within the framework of the Permanent Commission of the True History of Georgia. In them
he has published several works, based on foreign sources and containing data on the
existence of Lazika (Strabo, Gelasius of Caesarea, Socrates, Theodoritus Quirin, Sozomen,
Rufinus, Movses Khorenatsi, Procophius of Caesarea, Agathias the Scholastic, Menander,
Theophilactos Simocata, Theophanos, Epiphanius of Constantinople, the Emperor Justinian).
Another of the series “The Lives of Georgian Kings and Saints”, describing the lives and
deeds of many great Georgian kings, displays the fact that their deeds were inseparable from
the Georgian Church, ascertains that the strength of the state largely depended on the strength
of the Church. It is not incidental that in this series the great kings and saints are represented
side-by-side for the kings would often follow the paths of martyrs and would end their lives
as saints. His Eminence Anania has dedicated monographs to King Vakhtang Gorgasali, King
Levan II Dadiani, King Luarsab II, King Teimuraz, Saint Nino, and Saint Queen Ketevan.
 “The Historical Destiny of the Georgians Who Left the Church of Georgia” is the series in
which His Eminence lays out the most grievous pages in the history of the Georgian nation.
In particular, he describes the loss of identity and territories by those Georgians who saw the
ill-fated times of their motherland. Most conspicuous of the themes examined by His
Eminence Anania Japaridze are: The Ecumenical Councils, the eparchies of the Church of
Georgia, the origination of the Georgian nation, the formation of the Georgian ecclesiastical
language, the Ruis-Urbnisi Church Council, a history of the criticism of “Kartvelization” (the
prevailing theory under the Soviet rule of the proselytism of the Church of Georgia), etc.
The head of the Department of Georgian History, PhD in Historical Sciences and
Theology Professor Sergo Vardosanidze has written several volumes on the lives and deeds
of the Catholicos-Patriarchs of All Georgia during the years from 1917 up to 2014. This
period was one of the toughest for the Church of Georgia. Kirion II, Leonide Okropiridze,
Ephrem II, Ambrosi Khelaia, Callistratus Tsintsadze, Christephore Tsitskishvili, Ilia II –
these great people did not spare themselves in their labor for the cause of restoration of the
Autocephaly of the Georgian Orthodox Church and they attained their objective of returning
to the Church her historical place in the Diptych which had been held by Her with dignity
and honor throughout history. S. Vardosanidze gives a profound analysis of the lives of the
Patriarchs who have laid their lives for the faith and describes with precision the details of
their deeds directed towards the restoration of the Georgian Church.
Professor S. Vardosanidze is also the author of several other works. One of them, titled
“The Chronicle of One Hundred Years” covers the period from 1899 to 1999. It is a chronicle
of the Georgian Church depicting those hundred years; however, the author had given a
survey of these hundred years in detailed sections in dozens of publications. A work of five
hundred pages, titled “Georgian Hierarchs”, covers all historical data about remarkable
ecclesiastical personalities. The Autocephaly of the Georgian Church is the subject whose
every aspect has been examined by Sergo Vardosanidze in his monographs and articles. It is
impossible to study this subject isolated from a wider context, therefore these works include
the circumstances in the foreign affairs of the Church of Georgia during the years 1917 –
1947.
“The Eparchies of the Orthodox Church of Georgia” is still another theme thoroughly
studied in this department which is impossible to be overlooked by a scholar working in this
field. Sergo Vardosanidze’s analysis in the work “The Issue of the Management in the
Orthodox Church of Georgia and the Eparchies (1917-1952)” prepared a solid ground for a
separate study of every eparchy.
 Every issue, connected with the sanctities of the Orthodox Church of Georgia, has been
examined conclusively in the Department of the Georgian History. In this respect, very
profound work has been done by the Academician of Gelati Academy, PhD in Historical
Sciences Professor Eldar Bubulashvili. Dozens of articles of this author represent a thorough
study of the topic which also became the backbone of his volume “The Sanctities of the
Church of Georgia”.
Eldar Bubulashvili has examined the ill-fated period for the Georgian Orthodox Church
when her destiny was ruled by Russian exarchs and when most of the church treasury was
taken out to Russia. This scholar’s work has added more solidity to the perception of each of
the exarchs’ “deeds” as a dark page in history. Great Georgian scholars and statesmen who
studied the history of the Orthodox Church of Georgia, concerned themselves with the
pressing problems that emerged in the 19th century after the Church had been deprived of her
Autocephaly; they were unsparing in their efforts to help restore it to the Church. Ilia
Chavchavadze, Akaki Tsereteli, Ekvtime Takaishvili … these are the great statesmen whose
lives and deeds have been examined down to every detail by Professor Eldar Bubulashvili.
As it has been mentioned above, many researchers have engaged themselves in the history
of the eparchies of the Georgian Orthodox Church since it is an inexhaustible topic allowing
examination from various aspects. Eldar Bubulashvili is one of the researchers who
contributed valuable studies in this field. It should be mentioned that the scholar wrote his
works after a thorough study of the Georgian Patriarchs’ tenure and, having founded them on
the material of the archives, he brought to light many new details of their lives and labor. His
monograph published in 2008 in the Georgian and English Languages “The Apostolic Church
of Georgia” is the fruit of three decades’ assiduous work. It was included in the book of a
group of authors, published in England - “WITNESS THROUGH TROUBLED TIMES. A
History of the Orthodox Church of Georgia from 1811 to the Present”, Bennett & Bloom,
London, 2006.
Every teacher of the Department of Georgian History has his part in a wide range of issues
concerning the history of Georgia which is intertwined with that of the Church. One such
study is titled “On the Spiritual Labor of Georgian Clergymen in the Region of Samtskhe--
Javakheti during the Late 19th Century” belongs to Giorgi Maisuradze. This fascinating study
chronicles the toughest period for the region, revealing many novelties to the readers.
Among numerous works of the PhD in Historical Sciences Merab Vachnadze particularly
significant is “The History of Georgian Church in the 20 th-21st Centuries” which has been
published in two volumes.
 The head of the Department of the Georgian Language and Literature PhD in Philological
Sciences Professor Griver Parulava conducts and supervises the researches carried out by the
members of the department. His published works display the dimension in which the students
are delivered the subject of Ancient Georgian Literature. “A Human Being - the Image and
Likeness of God” – is the title of one of the articles in Griver Parulava’s works, describing
the heroes of the Ancient Georgian Literature. The inexhaustible themes of Ancient Georgian
Ecclesiastical Literature are united in his combined works, such as: “The Virtue of Love and
the Principle of Freedom in Old Georgian Literature”, “The Virtue of Vigil in Georgian
Hagiography”, “The Christological Understanding of Suffering and National Literature”.
Within the framework of the series of Ecclesiastical Library, the member of the department
Mrs. Ketevan Mamasakhlisi has published “Lausiac History” of St. Palladius of
Helenopolis. She is also the author of Saint Basil of Caesarea’s “Asceticon”, the text of
outstanding importance for Georgian Literature.

The Department of Foreign Languages delivers lectures of Old Greek and Latin,
successfully administers the teaching of modern European languages and also has part in the
field of research. In recent years the teacher of Ancient Greek PhD in Philological Sciences
Juli Shoshiashvili has been working at the writings of the Byzantine historian and writer
Procopius of Caesarea (“The Nika Riots”, “The Construction of Hagia Sophia”, “A
Byzantine Portrait – the Face of an Emperor”, “The Book of Wars”…); she has done
researches in this field and has also studied Procopius of Caesarea’s one of the most
important monuments, titled “On the Buildings”. She dedicated several interesting articles
to the inexhaustible topic - the creative work of Dionysius the Areopagite, particularly his
epistolary heritage. A Georgian-Byzantine dictionary in three volumes is a fruitful result of
Juli Shoshiashvili’s successful theoretical research - this publication is widely used by the
students of the Academy and Seminary.
The members of the departament are actively involved in the activities of rendition of
Georgian literary works into foreign languages.
Maia Akhvlediani translated from old Georgian into English the first written Georgian
monument, Jacob of Tsurtavi’s “The Martyrdem of Shushanik”.

Another teacher of the Greek Language PhD in Philological Sciences Eka Dughashvili is
very successful in researches done on Georgian-Byzantine relations. She has presented
abundant Georgian material on several international symposiums, all of them bearing
significance in the field of Byzantine studies. The following articles on Hymnography were
published in Georgian as well as in foreign journals: “From the History of Byzantine and
Georgian Literary Ties: Byzantine Hymnography Translated into Georgian”, “Giorgi the
Athonite – the Translator of Byzantine Hymnography”, “Hymns Dedicated to Female Saints
in Michael Modrekili’s ‘Iadgari’ (a book of hymns sung throughout the year)”, “The Greek
Order Dedicated to Euthymius the Athonite”, “Ancient Byzantine Hymnography in the
Georgian Iadgari of the10th Century”, “John of Damascus’ Iambic Hymnographical Canons
Translated into Ancient Georgian”.

The teachers of the Theological Academy also undertake to provide the school with proper
textbooks for the subjects they deliver. The lack of them was a problem following the end of
a two-century gap in theological education. Of course, this lack was not so detrimental on the
academic process in the Academy since the professors and teachers employed Georgian and
non-Georgian scientific works in it. However, the knowledge enshrined in these works had to
be collected and incorporated in textbooks in order to simplify work for the teachers and the
students. Here are some of these textbooks, made up in recent years: in the field of Bibliology
– “The Georgian Translated Versions of Ancient Biblical Books” (the Author and compiler
– PhD in Philological Sciences, Professor Nino Melikishvili); in Orthodox Psichology:
“Orthodox Psychology” in two sections (Author and compiler – Archpriest David
Tsitskishvili); “Introduction to the Psychology of Personality – the Parish and the Spiritual
Father” (the translation of the book by Hegumen Eunem Peristi was done by the teacher of
the Academy Sopiko Gogochashvili); in the Study of Religions: “The History of Religion” in
two sections and “The History of Religions” (the author and compiler Archpriest Teimuraz
Tatarashvili); in the History of the Church: “The History of Early Christianity” (the author
and compiler – Marika Mshvildadze), “The Technology of Jconography” (the author PhD in
Geology Murad Tkemaladze).
The Scientific Secretary of the Academy and teacher of the Georgian Language and Lite-
rature, PhD in Philological Sciences Professor Leila Geguchadze has compiled a textbook of
the Georgian Language which provides the students with all the answers to their
requirements.

The teachers of the Academy perform editorial work as well. The head of the Department
of Church History and Canonical Law, Professor Archpriest Maxim Chanturia has edited
several prominent publications: “The Church History” by Socrates the Scholastic, “The
History of Ecumenical Councils” by A. Lebedev, “Problems Concerning the Upbringing of
Children in the Light of Anthropology” by Archpriest Basil Zenkovski, “The Church
History” of Eusebius of Caesarea and the work of a similar title by Theodoritus Quirin “The
Catenas of the Bible of Gelati”, a Modern Georgian version of “The Life of Kartli” in three
parts, “And Annotated Bibliography of the books written on religious themes (1978-2015)”,
etc. These books were published by the Publishing House “The New Iveron” which is
supervised by Archpriest Maxim.
In 2013, Archpriest Archil Khachidze edited a very significant book “The Treasure of
Church – Foundations of the Teaching of the Orthodox Christian Church” (compiler David
Shovnadze).

The teacher of the Department of the Georgian Language and Literature, PhD in Philology
Medea Ghlonti has taken up editorial work as the major aspect of her work. Apart from
numerous books edited by her, she conducts the publication of the Orthodox journal “The
Roots” designated for the Georgians living abroad. She also fulfills editorial work for the
literary journal of the Academy and Seminary “The Georgian Word” and concentrates herself
on making easy access for teenagers to the wisdom enshrined in the Holy Scriptures. This
valuable material is furnished with comments in the editions “Stories from the Bible for
Youngsters” and “The Parables of Our Lord Jesus Christ” (in seven books).

Practical activities, conducted in the Department of Iconography and Restoration of

Lithographic and Monumental Iconography, in particular, work fulfilled in the field of
restoration and conservation throughout the country is well observable throughout the
participation of the head of this department Professor Merab Buchukuri in several
international symposiums and conferences, held in Tbilisi and Moscow. They were dedicated
to Georgian art and the conservation of historical and cultural monuments. At different times,
he published the works: “The Conservation of the Matskhvarishi Paintings” (published in
“Dzeglis Megobari” [The Steward of Monuments]), “The Significance of Restoration in the
Study of the Lithographic Paintings of the Middle Ages” (“Spectri”), “Scientifically
Reconstructed Copy and Its Role in the Study of the Murals of the Middle Ages” (“Spectri”),
“The Restoration of the Frescos of Gareji: Results and Perspectives” (“The Monastic Life in
the Wilderness, Gareji and the Christian East”), “The Newly Uncovered Frescos in the
Ananuri Church” (“The Antiquities of Georgia”).
 It would be unfair to omit mentioning those teachers and scholars who throughout many
years passed their knowledge onto the students of the Theological Academy; PhDs of
Philological Sciences Revaz Siradze and Revaz Baramidze, PhD in Historical Sciences,
Academician Mariam Lordkipanidze, PhD in Art History Zaza Skhirtladze, PhD in
Philosophical Sciences Eter Chelidze – only a few years have passed since they quit their
work from the Academy. Here, we will endeavor to describe the merits of some of them.
One of the dimensions in Professor Revaz Siradze’s research was to decipher symbols
employed in the Georgian Hagiographical writings, including their interpretation and
innovative consideration. He studied the initial stage of the spread of Christianity among the
Georgian people. The enlightener of the Georgian people Saint Nino emerged as the
cornerstone of the scholar’s many interesting works.
From the very first day of the foundation of the Academy, Doctor of Historical Sciences,
Academician of the Scientific Academy of Georgia, Professor Mariam Lordkipanidze drew
the students close to the knowledge based on her profound research work.
It was she who brought to light many facts from Georgian history, revealing the
relationship of the civil and ecclesiastic authorities in the Georgia of the Middle Ages. It was
a beneficial relationship for both sides. The Church directed her influence towards the
reinforcement of the sovereignty thus facilitating the maintenance of the country’s integrity;
as concerns intervention in the Church affairs, the royal authority would do so in very rare
cases, and the Great Assembly of Ruis-Urbnisi is one such event whose purpose was to purge
the Church from several undesirable occurrences. These issues have been investigated and
accounted on by Professor Mariam Lordkipanidze in a number of monographs and articles;
among them “The Inauguration of the Georgian Feudal Monarchy”, “The Political
Unification of the Feudal Georgia”, etc. The fact that Christianity is the national religion for
the Georgians was manifestly revealed in the period of violence from the Islamic world; the
three-century Arab domination failed to spread Islam in Georgia. That period and the role of
the Church were well described in the works of the Academician Mariam Lordkipanidze.
PhD in Art History, Professor Zaza Skhirtladze was head of the Department of Christian
Art from the inauguration of the Academy to 2010. The defining of the dimension of this
department is his merit, at the most. The issues of the Georgian Fine Arts of the Middle Ages
is the field in which the professor has created numerous important works. Mainly, he
performs research on murals and icons, examines ancient Georgian frescoes in various
aspects. He also studied relations between the Church of Georgia and Church of Armenia.
Some of his articles pertain to epigraphy as the source of the history of the art of the Middle
Ages. A considerable part of essays and articles is dedicated to the antiquities of the
Monastery of Davidgareji. Zaza Skhirtladze supervises multivolume corpora, produced by
the Church Art Research Center of the Patriarchate of Georgia. These are: “A History
Depicted in Images - The Images of Historical Figures in the Ancient Georgian Art”, “The
Images of the Saints of the Georgian Church” and “Ancient Georgian Craftsmen”.
It is impossible to fully appreciate in such a brief survey the research done by the teachers
and professors of the Academy and Seminary for the past 29 years. However, we hope the
present account gives a clear picture of the right way the school has chosen towards the
realization of the union of faith and knowledge.
Noteworthy conferences held annually at the Academy and Seminary consummate the
scholarly work and researches done by the professors and teachers on the staff.
The teachers take a keen interest in the profundity of knowledge of the students and
teachers; therefore, they supervise their conference themes. Papers containing novelties in the
material prepared by the teachers and students are selected and published as a separate
publication of the Academy.
Apart from these conferences, open lectures for everyone willing to attend are frequently
held at which both teachers and students present the results of their researches to the general
audience of the Academy and also to the invited guests. This kind of lectures are also
delivered by invited scholars which represents a successful method for the expansion of
knowledge of the teachers and the students, at large. The lectures embrace not only
theological themes but also various other topics.
In the April of 2016, a memorandum between Tbilisi Theological Academy and Korneli
Kekelidze National Center of Manuscripts was signed. The memorandum encompasses the
following issues: To carry out educational projects based on the collections and scholarly
resources, preserved at the National Center of Manuscripts; to conduct both short and long
term trainings in scholarly researches and seminars; preparation and accomplishment of joint
projects. The entire content of the memorandum is based on the monuments of ancient
Georgian theological and secular literature, historical documents, archive material and old
printed books.
The deepening of the research work of the professors and teachers of the Academy will be
enhanced with their unhindered access to the rich collection of the National Manuscript
Center.
 VII The Contacts of Tbilisi Theological Academy
and Seminary with the Orthodox and Secular
Schools of foreign countries

M aintaining contacts with Orthodox schools in foreign countries is very advantageous

for the future clergymen of the Church and also for the teachers and graduates of the
Academy and Seminary, working on Theology. Therefore, to this goal are directed the efforts
of the Rectorate of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary and its Academic Council – it
is of paramount importance that the accumulated experience in these schools is shared within
this community.
In 2012, the Vice-rector of Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary Paul Velikanov
and his assistant Priest Anton Borisov, head of the foreign affairs of Moscow Theological
Academy, visited Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary. The guests were shown round
the Theological Academy and Seminary. They obtained complete information on the
activities fulfilled here. From their part, they introduced Moscow Theological Academy and
Seminary as the most ancient Orthodox educational institution, showed a documentary film
narrating about it and spoke on their intention to shift the educational system towards new
standards. In essence, it means increasing contacts with foreign theological schools and the
invitations to visit Tbilisi were accepted by them as an expression of this intention. They also
expounded on current activities, conducted by them in this regard. Among them, they named
the following: In the times of Communist rule, impediments were created purpousely in order
to thwart the progress in the theological education; currently, they have created a Russian
quinti-lingual theological portal with the purpose of the eradication of this stagnation. With
the Russian, English, German, Spanish and Greek Languages, Georgian was envisaged as the
sixth after that visit. Priest Anton Borisov was pleased to mention that Georgia was the first
country they were visiting among those scheduled for their visits. According to his words,
Georgia is the country who has the most ancient theological school; he also remembered that
His Holiness and Beatitude, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia is the alumnus of Moscow
Theological Academy.
The return visit to Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary was to be regarded as the
continuation of the initiated collaboration; and it took place during 6-8 November of 2013 in
Sergiyev Posad (in Zagorsk). The head of the delegation was the Rector of Tbilisi
Theological Academy and Seminary, PhD in Theology and Philology Protopresbyter Giorgi
Zviadadze; the delegation members were the head of the Publishing Department of the
Academy, PhD in Philological Sciences Nino Melikishvili and the assistant of the Rector of
the Academy and Seminary for Contacts with Foreign Orthodox Schools PhD in Philology
Lali Khuchua. The purpose of the visit was the signing of a memorandum between these two
Orthodox schools which envisages the following:
1) Collaboration of the parties in the fields of Theology, Church History, Religious-
Historical and Biblical themes; 2) Exchange and assessment of students and teachers and
creating the environment for their work on scholarly and educational projects; 3)
Arrangement of joint scientific and methodological conferences with topical problems of
theological education on the agenda and participation in them; 4) Exchange of academic and
scientific literature and academic and methodological documentations.
The memorandum was signed by the Rector of Moscow Theological Academy and
Seminary His Eminence, Archbishop Evgeny of Vereysk and by the Rector of Tbilisi
Theological Academy and Seminary, Professor, Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze. The menti-
oned event took place with the blessing of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia,
Archbishop of Mtskheta and Tbilisi, Metropolitan of Bitchvinta and Tskhum-Apkhazeti, His
Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II and with the blessing of the Patriarch of Moscow and All
Russia, His Holiness Cyril.
On the ceremonial occasion of signing the memorandum the rectors of the Academies
gave their talks. His Eminence, Archbishop Evgenii of Verey noted that the entire Christian
world aspires to and prays for unification since strength is in unity. So also is the objective of
the memorandum, which was signed by both parties and which takes it as its goal to
spiritually edify each other, to study the history of both Churches and to actually cooperate
with one another. The Rector of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, Protopresbyter
Giorgi Zviadadze expressed his contentment with the fact that he had an opportunity to visit
Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary, the most ancient and biggest Orthodox school.
He also mentioned that Archpriest Pavel Velikanov and his assistant Priest Anton Borisov’s
visit the year before had been one of the cases of expression of those relationships which
exist between the Orthodox schools of the world. These contacts can be very beneficial. The
Protopresbyter also said he believed the best students sent to Moscow within the frames of
the exchange project would acquire extensive knowledge during the period of their study at
Moscow Theological Academy to return to their homeland with it and with broadened
knowledge.
In the nearest future, similar connections will be established with the theological schools
of Athens, Thessaloniki and Serbia. Talks on this subject have already started. The
Universities of Athens and Thessaloniki have departments of Theology; apart from it, there
are ecclesiastic high schools in these cities. Six seminaries work in Serbia; Belgrade
University has the Faculty of Theology and a theological academy works in Srbin. In
addition, in Belgrade functions the Academy of Art and Restoration with faculties of
iconography, fresco painting and restoration work.
It can be acknowledged that the contacts, constructed between the Orthodox institutions
abroad have already produced good results: some of the teachers at Tbilisi Theological
Academy received their education in Russia, Switzerland and Bulgaria (Archpriest Ioane
Kvantchiani and A. Kshutashvili); some of the advanced students of the Theological Faculty
continue their studies, doing master’s course at Moscow Theological Academy (A. Nakaidze,
L. Kechaghmadze and others); Many students of the Faculties of Architecture, Iconography,
Restoration of Lithographic and Monumental Iconography aspire to further enhance
elsewhere the knowledge acquired here, – recently, two of the graduates (L. Kekelia, G.
Kavtuashvili) entered Moscow Theological Academy. Many students of Tbilisi Theological
Academy graduated from Athens University where they had taken a course of Theology at
the Faculty of Theology (Archimandrite Michael Ejibashvili, A. Tsereteli…). Some among
them intend to continue the course of Baccalaureate, others are already doing this course (A.
Giunashvili), still some others have returned to Georgia and now they are among our
clergymen. Some of the students, having taken a course of the Greek Language, are now
reading theology in the department of Baccalaureate at Athens University (the students of the
Seminary: Z. Natenadze, N. Sadzaglishvili), while others take language courses, preparing to
continue at the Faculty of Theology after having completed the course (the holders of
master’s degree: N. Gongadze, D. Nebieridze, K. Usupashvili).
The fact that our alumni work in foreign countries also, is another proof of the quality of
the education, gained at Tbilisi Theological Academy; the example of David Chanadiri well
describes this fact: A few years ago, he went to Oxford with an ambition to continue his
studies and now he is doing research work at various universities and libraries of England; he
has studied Andria Gugushvili’s personal archives at Oxford, a fragment of the 10 th-century
Bible at Cambridge, unknown letters belonging to the Georgian Kings Teimuraz I and
Simeon I, preserved in Simancas Central Archives (Valladolid). Equally successful is Shota
Kintsurashvili, a student of master’s degree program of Christian Psychology of the
Academy. He is pursuing master’s degree in the specialty of Church History at the Catholic
University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Germany. The theme of his thesis is “The Autocephalous
Apostolic Church of Georgia and Ecumenical Relationships”.
The graduate of the Academy, Giorgi Kublashvili, who at Tbilisi Theological Academy
successfully defended his thesis, titled: “A Writing from Arsen of Iqalto’s Work
‘Dogmatikon’” – Saint John of Damascus –“A Word Written for the Condemnation of the
Despised by God Heresy of Jacobians” (the supervisor of the work - PhD in Philology Maia
Rapava) and obtained Master’s degree. Seeking to obtain a Doctor’s degree in Patristics, in
2016 he was admitted to the Sergius of Radonezh Institute of Orthodox Theology, in Paris.
The defense of his dissertation on the theme “The Personality of Leontius of Byzantium and
the Identification and Theological Analysis of His Writings” (supervisor: Doctor of Theology
Joost van Rossum) is intended for 2019.
Nino Sadzaglishvili is taking a course of Master’s program in Systemic Theology,
majoring in Christian Ethics, at Kapodistrian University in Athens. The supervisor of her
work is Professor Constantine Cornarakis.
Alexandre Nakaidze graduated from Moscow Theological Academy in 2017 where he
took a course of Master’s degree. At present, he is accomplishing his studies at the post-
graduate course of the same institute. The topic of his dissertation is “A Synthesis of
Classical and Christian Cosmology in John Philoponese’s treatise ‘On the Creation of
Universe’” (within the context of the Byzantine Theological Literature of the 4th-9th
centuries). The supervisor – Hegumen Professor Dyonisius Shlenov.
In the May of 2014, the Theological Academy and Seminary of Tbilisi hosted the Rector
and Spiritual Father of Bielsk-Podlaski Orthodox School of the Resurrection of the Savior in
Poland, Archpriest Anjei Minkos who is also a member of the International Commission of
the Dialogue Between the Orthodox and the Anglican Churches; it was a visit of paramount
importance. His lecture on the history of the Orthodox Church of Poland once again brought
into view how strong the power of faith is: by the end of WWII there were no Orthodox
institutions left in Poland and the number of clergymen was extremely reduced. Belonging to
the Roman Catholic sphere of influence, precisely the faith and efforts of the Orthodox
people helped the country overcome the aftermath of the war, and today there are four
hundred Orthodox churches, ten monasteries and several theological institutions in Poland.
Once again during this visit, the deeds of Saint Grigol Peradze was remembered, Poland’s
appreciation of his merit and his personality was highlighted: a church dedicated to him
functions in this country and he is remembered at every Holy Liturgy. Archpriest Henrik
Paprotski published a book of Saint Grigol Peradze’s writings. This visit will lay the
foundation for the practical cooperation between the Georgian and the Polish Orthodox
institutions.
Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, holding the unity of faith and knowledge as
the foremost value, does not restrict its contacts to only theological institutions. Ties with
relevant secular schools, if based on right initiations, may prove to be very productive. One
such opportunity emerged when the Rector of Kiev University of Law Professor Iuri
Boshitsky visited Tbilisi in the July of 2013. On paying a visit to Tbilisi Theological
Academy, Professor Boshitsky gave an interesting talk on the objectives and plans which his
University had with regard to our Academy. He mentioned that the conception of the
development of Kiev University of Law was grounded on the establishment of international
contacts of juridical and humanitarian profile. Clergymen jointly participate in the
conferences and debates, held at his University in connection with various branches of Law.
The sphere which they usually touch upon is the philosophy of Law, the interaction of the
morals of Law and religion. He mentioned that recently they had started work on the
compilation of a dictionary of Canonical Law in which the representatives of Kiev
Theological Academy and Seminary were engaged. He suggested that the representatives of
Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary should also join them in this endeavor. Further,
Kiev University expresses readiness to hold a Round Table Session with Georgian clergymen
and the representatives of Kiev University of Law. Professor Boshitsky promised the host
party to supply them with scientific publications in the field of Canon Law. According to
Professor Boshitsky, the graduates of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary would be
welcomed at the University to further acquire academic education, this time, in Law; and, he
himself wished to be a guarantor for them in this very reasonable suggestion.
The staff at Kiev University of Law acknowledge that, apart from a good education in
Law, young men should also be given a good spiritual edification. Therefore, there is a
church, built in the premises of the University, and also they are in partnership relations with
two of the Theological Academies of Kiev.
 The visit of Professor Boshitsky will lay the foundation to a long and fruitful collaboration
between Kiev University of Law and Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary.

Supplementary Text N1

An Academic Course of Three Stages at Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary;

The Foundation of the Dissertation Council

O n 13 December 2011, on the decision of the Authorization Council of Educational

Institutions, and on the basis of changes in the Law of Georgia “On Higher Education” in
respect of the Orthodox Theological higher educational institutions, Tbilisi Theological
Academy and Seminary transformed its system into a three stage approach: I. Baccalaureate
(a four-year course), which functions at the Theological Faculty of Tbilisi Theological
Seminary and at the following faculties of the Theological Academy: a) History and Theory
of Christian Art, b) Christian Psychology, c) Christian Architecture, Iconography, Restoration
of Lithographic and Monumental Iconography. II. Master’s Degree (a three-year) –
functioning at the Theological Faculty of the Theological Academy. III. Doctorate (a three-
year course).
Another event of significance in the life of Tbilisi Theological Academy was the first
session of the Dissertation Commission conferring the academic PhD degrees in Theology. It
th
was held on the 14 of January 2013 at the Patriarchate of Georgia with the Presidency of
His Holiness and Beatitude Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, Archbishop of Mtskheta
and Tbilisi, Metropolitan of Bitchvinta and Tskhum-Apkhazeti Ilia II. The members of the
international Dissertation Commission were: Metropolitan of Zimbabwe and Angola, His
Eminence Seraphim (the Patriarchate of Alexandria), Metropolitan Vasileios of Constanta
and Ammochostos (the Patriarchate of Cyprus), His Eminence Basil, Metropolitan of Arcadia
(the Patriarchate of Antioch), the Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs of Moscow
Patriarchate, His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion (Grigory Alfeyev), His Eminence
Metropolitan of Gorlice Paisius (the Orthodox Church of Poland).
The participants of the session were the scientific secretary of the Dissertation
Commission conferring PhD degree in Theology, Metropolitan of the Eparchy of Manglisi
and Tsalka Anania Japaridze (Professor of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, PhD
in Historical Sciences) and then President of the National Academy of Sciences of Georgia
Tamaz Gamkrelidze.
Giorgi Andriadze, head of the Supervising Council at Saint Andrew the First-Called
University of the Patriarchate of Georgia and Professor of the Theological Academy,
undertook efforts to find a way for organizing the council which determined the final
outcome. On the blessing of His Holiness and Beatitude Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia
Ilia II and with the participation of eminent hierarchs from several patriarchates in the
discussions of the themes, ten papers of the following PhD candidates in Theology were
considered on the session. They were:
Metropolitan Ioane Gamrekeli – “On Some of the Issues of Contemporary Translations of
the Bible”; the Rector of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, PhD in Philology
Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze – “On Virginity” by Gregory of Nyssa, Professor of Tbilisi
Theological Academy and Seminary Archpriest Michael Botkoveli – “The Old Testament
Prophets: Prophet Zechariah”; the Rector of Kutaisi Theological Academy and Seminary,
PhD in Philology Archpriest Michael Galdava – “The Spiritual and Moral Teaching in the
Catholic Epistle of James the Apostle”; Professor of Tbilisi Theological Academy and
Seminary, PhD in Philology, Archpriest Bidzina Gunia – “Theological Aspects of the
Concept of a Year and the Issue of Modeling of the Church Calendar”; the head of the
Department of Bibliology, PhD in History, Professor Archpriest Giorgi Gugushvili – “The
Bible and Ancient Georgian Historical Literature”; Professor of Tbilisi Theological Academy
and Seminary, Archdeacon Demetre Davitashvili – “Monkhood – Restraint or a Way of
Life?”; the Rector of Andrew the First-Called Georgian University, working under the aegis
of the Patriarchate of Georgia, head of the Department of Georgian History at Tbilisi
Theological Academy and Seminary, PhD in Historical Sciences Professor Sergo
Vardosanidze – “Endevors of Renewal and Reforms in the Orthodox Apostolic Church of
Georgia during the Years 1922-1932”; the head of the Department of Patristics and
Dogmatics, PhD in Philology, Professor Edisher Chelidze – “The Holy Fathers’ Teaching on
Sin and Retribution”; Professor of Tbilisi Theological Academy Giorgi Andriadze – “New
Documents Depicting the History of Christianity in Lazika in the Period of the 15 th-16th
Centuries”. The International Dissertation Commission conferred PhD degree in Theology on
all the ten scholars of Theology.
On 29 March 2013, on the order of the Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia His Holiness
and Beatitude Ilia II and with his prayers, Dissertation Committee was founded at Tbilisi
Theological Academy and Seminary and the aforementioned doctors were admitted to its
membership. The Secretary of the PhD Council is the Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II.
According to the new provisions, the faculty of Doctorate was opened at Tbilisi
Theological Academy and Seminary and Professor of Tbilisi Theological Academy and
Seminary, Academician of Gelati Scientific Academy, PhD in History Eldar Bubulashvili
was appointed its head. The opening of the Faculty of Doctorate was the final step in the
establishment of the three stages of education (Baccalaureate, Master’s degree and
Doctorate).
Within the framework of theological programs, Tbilisi Theological Academy and
Seminary, as a higher theological and educational institution, carries out the following
educational programs in the line of Doctorate: 1) Patristics (supervised by PhD in Philology
and Theology, Professor Edisher Chelidze); 2) Church History, presented in two modules: a)
The History of World Orthodoxy (supervised by PhD in Theology, Professor Archpriest
Maxim Chanturia) and b) The History of the Georgian Church (supervised by PhD in
Historical Sciences and Theology, Professor Sergo Vardosanidze); 3) Biblical studies,
presented in two modules: a) The Old Testament (supervised by PhD in Theology, Professor,
Metropolitan of Rustavi Ioane Gamrekeli), b) The New Testament (supervised by PhD in
Theology and History, Professor, Archpriest Giorgi Gugushvili; 4) Liturgics (supervised by
PhD in Theology, Professor, Archdeacon Demetre Davitashvili); 5) Canon Law (supervised
by PhD in Theology, Professor Giorgi Andriadze).

Supplementary Text N2

Publications of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary

 in the years 2010-2019

D uring the recent nine years, the publishing office of Tbilisi Theological Academy and
Seminary has released about ten academic editions of profound works by ancient Great
Byzantine Fathers translated into old Georgian. Being carried out by great Georgian Christian
thinkers, these translations are peers to their originals in their creative value. It is significant
that these editions were prepared by the clergymen and scholars working at the Academy and
Seminary. The following is a brief account of them all:
Translated into the Georgian language is the homily of the 5 th century thinker St. Basil of
Seleucia, titled “The Innocents Massacred in Bethlehem” in which the author expounds on
the slaughter of fourteen thousand young children after the birth of Jesus Christ. The identity
of the author renders the piece more interesting; according to the presumption of the pu-
blisher of the homily, alumnus of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, currently the
Rector of Kutaisi Theological Academy, Priest Irakli Akhaladze, it must have been translated
by the great Georgian Monk Saint Ephrem Mtsire who led his ascetic life on Black Mountain.
An Abundance of research material on the translation method of this author speaks about his
contribution to Hellenophile literary translation in Georgian literature; in effect, Ephrem
Mtsire laid the foundation for this branch in the 11th century. Ephrem Mtsire justly considered
that the Georgian people were prepared to correctly understand the thoughts of the
Byzantine fathers in their original form. Therefore, he did not accept Euthymius the
Athonite’s method of commented translation, shifting the focus to the exact translation of
texts. The evolution of this method was the core of ultra-Hellenophiles’ activity. Doctor of
Philological Sciences and Theology, Professor Edisher Chelidze is the editor of the
publication.
“Church Fathers’ Teachings on the Incarnation of God” (the series founded at the
Theological Academy: “Homiletic Monuments Translated into Georgian”) - this work has
been prepared by Professor of the Theological Academy, PhD in Philological Sciences Nino
Melikishvili and edited by Edisher Chelidze. The book comprises old Georgian translations
of homilies (preachings) dedicated by great Byzantine Fathers to the Nativity of Christ. Some
of the homilies had been released prior to this edition. However, in order to render a more
complete shape to the book, they were reedited and incorporated into it. The authors of the
homilies are the foremost hierarchs and ascetics of the 4 th-8th centuries, archbishops and
bishops, Holy Fathers: Athanasius of Alexandria, Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nazianzus,
Gregory of Nyssa, John Chrysostom, Theodotus of Ancyra, Eusebius of Alexandria, Proclus
of Constantinople, Peter of Jerusalem and John of Damascus. The Georgian versions of each
of these authors have survived to date in one or several lists or one or several translations of
the 11th-12th centuries. The names of some of the translators are unknown but those who have
been preserved in wills and inscriptions are the greatest representatives of Georgian spiritual
culture – Euthymius and Giorgi the Athonites, and Ephrem Mtsire. The publication of
Georgian versions of homilies dedicated to the Incarnation of God, the Nativity of Christ is
tremendous as, along with many other angles, it gives an opportunity to a keen reader (as well
as to people with a deep knowledge in theology) to track the struggle against various heresies,
mainly against Aryanism through which Orthodox Christianity gained triumph. Speeches ma-
de at great feast days in front of numerous multitudes was a remarkable way for the
inculcation of the true Teaching. They were homilies which the Byzantine Fathers, holding
highest hierarchical posts, could use to the utmost as a tool, and their homiletic legacy is a
conclusive substantiation of it. All this is lucidly displayed in this book.
Another of our editions is Saint Gregory of Nyssa’s writing “On Virginity”. The Georgian
version of this significant work of Gregory of Nyssa was prepared for release by the Rector
of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary, PhD in Philology and Theology,
Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze; the editor of the book is Nino Melikishvili.
Saint Gregory of Nyssa is one of the three Cappadocian Fathers who in the 4 th century
elevated the Christian thought, ecclesiastical literature and the art of rhetoric onto an
absolutely new level. The published treatise is considered of particular value on account of
the profound system of theological and philosophical teaching on ecclesiastical asceticism,
particularly, the monastic labor. This work represents one of the foundations of ascetic
theology. Its publication is significant for several viewpoints. Firstly, it should be remarked
that not only the author is a great Church Father but its translator also – as early as towards
the end of the 10th century it was translated into Georgian by the great Athonite Father, who
shone forth in the Georgian Orthodox Church Saint Euthymius.
The supplementary text gives a precise study of the Georgian translation with its every
nuance, by which the essence of Euthymius’ method is conclusively explained. His every
approach is described to the reader.
 The theological and philosophic character of Saint Gregory of Nyssa’s writing, its
complexity necessitated its furnishing with comments in which separate words, phrases and
passages are interpreted according to the ecclesiastical Teaching. The text is also
supplemented with a documented Georgian-Greek lexicon. The singularity of the lexicon was
conditioned by Euthymius’ method of free translation: the distinction of any of the lexical
units from their Greek equivalents in subtlety of nuances or, in some cases, even of more
fundamental difference, reveals the creative height of the Great Athonite Father and the
profundity of his knowledge in the field. Saint Gregory of Nyssa’s theological writing well
exposes his mode of intervention in the original Greek text, without semantically affecting its
essence. This method aimed at clarifying the text in order to make it easier to understand.
Saint Gregory of Nyssa’s Georgian translation required additional efforts since it was
edited by another Great Athonite Father Saint Giorgi the Athonite. It is quite apparent that to
explore Giorgi the Athonite’s purpose and objectives, when intervening in the work of his
Great Spiritual Father and teacher, was tremendously interesting work.
In 2012, the Georgian version of “Eighty Heresies” was released. This publication is a
collection of texts in separate volumes compiled from the long polemical and historical
work, titled “The Panarion”. The author of the work is the 4 th century ascetic Bishop of
Constance, Saint Epiphanius of Salamis. Its Georgian version was prepared for publication
by PhD of Philology, the late Soso Makharashvili. The book was edited by PhD in
Philology Maya Rapava. “Eighty Heresies” is an anti-heretical work of paramount impo-
rtance which was translated into Georgian by a remarkable Church Father, Hieromonk The-
ophilus. The supplemented part of the text gives a discourse on highly interesting and
important issues. Grounding the comparison of the translation with its Greek original text, the
publisher investigated some of the aspects of the history of the writing unknown up to now
and clarified that Theophilus’ translation was done from a Greek edition which has not
survived. Every such finding stresses the significance of the study of Ancient Georgian
Theological literature in the general Byzantine specialty. Saint Epiphanius’ writing had a
broadly cognitive value in the Georgian society then – this translation became one of the
main sources for the well-known 12th century liturgical work, titled “Songs of Condemnation
of Every Heresy of All Heretics”, which was further used as a liturgical document by Ioane
Shavteli in his poem “Abdulmesiani”.
This edition is to some extent in tune with the work prepared and published by the teacher
of the Theological Academy, PhD in Philology Maya Raphava: “the Georgian Translation of
‘Anti-Monophysite Speeches Pronounced by Niketas Stethatos’.” Editorial work on the book
was done by PhD in Philology and Theology, Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze.
The edition comprises the famous 11th century Byzantine theologian Niketas Stethatos’
five polemical speeches directed against Armenian Monophysitism; these speeches help the
reader form the right impression on the discussion over theological and ecclesiastical practice
in the Byzantine Empire of the 11th century against Armenian Monophysitism. The Georgian
version of the book was produced by the well-known representative of Gelati literary school,
Arsen of Iqalto. Therefore, the language of the translation bears linguistic features and traits
of the literary translation characteristic of the Gelati school, and in respect of the study of the
history of the Georgian literary language, it represents another interesting monument.
One of the editions of the Publishing office of the Theological Academy is the
bibliographical work: “Translated Monuments of Ancient Georgian Literature”. it consists of
two branches of theological literature. A complete bibliography, covering all branches of the
entire theological literature in six volumes, has been compiled by the consultant of the
Publishing Office of Tbilisi Theological Academy PhD in Philology Enriko Gabidzashvili.
The Publishing Office of the Theological Academy has released the fifth volume which can
be used as a guide by the readers and researchers, interested in Liturgics and Hymnography
since it comprehends information on every Georgian monument in these two branches: which
of the manuscripts they are preserved in and which period it is related to, who is the author
and who translated it, and whether the monument was ever published. The material is
preceded with an extended survey of these branches based on the author’s researches and also
on the related scientific literature.
The Publishing Office of the theological Academy has released still another significant
work: The Georgian version of the 4th century great Byzantine theologian, Saint Gregory of
Nyssa’s exegetical monument – “The Comments on the Song of Songs”, translated in the
11th century by one of the greatest Church Fathers and theologians Saint Giorgi the Athonite.
“The Song of Songs” is among the most esoteric of biblical books. Many ascetic fathers
worked on it. Therefore, Saint Gregory of Nyssa’s writing is momentous and valuable to
scholars engaged in researches in old Georgian literature and similarly to any reader inter-
ested in the theme. Gregory of Nyssa’s expounding based on the Holy Scriptures, bear the
form of interpretation of most of the biblical text. Thus, “The Commentaries of the Song of
Songs” transcends the scope of the interpretation of one biblical book, albeit of paramount
importance, and represents an extensive and invaluable writing. The book was prepared by
the former teacher and scholar of the Theological Academy, PhD in Philology, the late
Gulnaz Kiknadze and was edited by Professor Nino Melikishvili.
The second volume of the series “Homiletic Monuments Translated into Georgian”
contains the Georgian translation of the great Byzantine theologian of the 4 th-5th centuries,
Saint John Chrysostom’s collection of homilies, titled “Margaliti” (“Pearl”); the translation
was carried out in the 10th-11th centuries by the great Church Father and thinker Saint
Euthymius the Athonite (publisher – Nino Melikishvili). The collection represents a book of
pedagogical excerpts from John Chrysostom’s homilies, translations and conversations. The
structure of the Georgian version of “Margaliti” was worked out by the translator; Euthymius
the Athonite applied his own method to the study of the Greek original text and refined the
deep theological thought into a simplest form easily comprehensible for any reader. The text
is appended with a description of the 11th-13th century manuscripts which are the source of the
edition; this section shows the interrelationship of these lists and also their connection with
later ones of the 18th-19th centuries, containing “Margaliti”; the relevance of the Georgian
edition with the Greek source is also highlighted.
In 2010-2019, the publishing office of Tbilisi Theological Academy and Seminary
released the volumes of two periodicals: “Theological and Scholarly Works” - seven volumes
beginning from the III including the IX and the ecclesiastical and scientific collection
“Gragnili” - the first five Volumes (the release of the latter started in 2012). “The
Theological and Scholarly Works” offers mainly theoretical articles to the reader; one can
find works written in every branch of spiritual literature – researches in Theology,
Ecclesiastical Philology, Church History and reviews on new theological and scholarly
publications.
The collection of theological works offers its readers articles about the results of
scientific researches done by the Rector of the Academy, PhD in Theology and Philology,
Protopresbyter Giorgi Zviadadze. Father Giorgi’s sphere of interest, in this respect,
encompasses several highly significant monuments, specifically: Saint Gregory of Nyssa’s
“On Virginity and Godly Citizenship”, Saint Simeon the Theologian’s “On Contrition” and
Saint Clement of Rome’s “The First Epistle to the Corinthians”. Apart from the research,
carried out from various angles, the Protopresbyter also published other essays in the same
collection: “The Monastery of Iveron – Spiritual Leader of Kartli” (volume VII) and “The
Holy Apostle Paul’s Teaching on the Everlasting Priesthood of the Saviour in the order of
Melchizedeck” (the unified VIII and IX volumes). The following scholars: Doctors of
Theology and Philology - the Academician of Gelati Scientific Academy Edisher Chelidze
and Archpriest Bidzina Gunia, Metropolitan Anania Japaride, Doctors of Philology - Maia
Rapava, Lela Khachidze and Archpriest Michael Galdava, Archpriest Irakli Akhaladze,
Doctors of Theology and History - Sergo Vardosanidze and Archpriest Giorgi Gugushvili
are involved in the work on this publication. The aforementioned collaboration bears
paramount importance for the collection.
At present, the articles and essays published in the book of ecclesiastical and scientific
works determine, to some extent, the development of the theological thought in Georgia.
As concerns “Gragnili”, young teachers, holders of Master’s and doctoral degrees
collaborate with this collection. The first volume unifies three very important monuments.
Two of them – “Thirty Chapters of the Armenian Heresy” (prepared by the graduate of the
Theological Academy, Priest Vladimer Vakhtangadze) and “The Image of the Covenant”
(prepared by the candidate of the Master’s degree, Giorgi Kitesashvili) are published a
second time, while the third, Cassian the Roman’s “An Account on the Rule and Order of the
Monastic Communities of Egypt and East” (prepared by the alumnus of the Theological
Academy, Archpriest Irakli Akhaladze) is published for the first time. The reason for the
republication of the texts was the willingness to deepen the knowledge of the mentioned
monuments from the theological angle.
Book II and Book III of “Gragnili” also suggest texts of no less importance. Specifically,
homilies of Saint Sophronius of Jerusalem on the Baptism, the order of Baptism,
commentaries on the Book of Jonah the prophet (book II); book III contains: Basil of
Cappadocia’s “Teachings on Prayer and Various Other Virtues Beneficial for the Saving of
the Soul”, the homily of Saint John Chrysostom “On Contrition, Virginity and Patience”, the
homily of Saint Andrew of Crete “On the Vanity of Fleshly Deeds and Those Who Have
Passed Over”.
Besides the enumerated texts, two theoretical works entered this book. They are Saint
Euthymius the Athonite’s “The Relation of the Decrees of the Sixth Ecumenical Council
(“The Minor Canon Law”) with the Text of the Great Canon Law” and Saint Epiphanius of
Cyprus’ “A Theological Analysis of the Homily Delivered on the Great Sabbath”;
As concerns the IV volume of “Gragnili”, it suggests essays of doctoral students of the
Theological Academy. These essays are of theoretical character, containing many
novelties.
Of no less interest is the material presented involume V of “Gragnili”. Here we shall
mention a few of the articles published in it: Archpriest Kakhaber Gogotishvili expounds on
the exegetical principles of Gregory of Nyssa and analyzes them according to the most
significant monument “The Life of Moses”, elucidating passages obscure for the readers.
Kakha Shcherbakov, an alumnus of the Academy, published the Old Georgian translations of
Maxim the Confessor’s writing “Questions Addressed to Thalassius”.The translations are
executed by an unknown translator of the school of Euthymius the Athonite and Gelati. The
Articles of the Doctorate students – Tsotne Chkheidze, Levan Chankvetadze and Priest
Longinoz Suarishvili contain numerous novelties. Also, the articles of many other authors of
the mentioned volume provide its readers with information and data which had been
unknown before.
For the students of the Academy and Seminary, highly valuable is the Georgian version of
Hegumen Eunemius’ (Peristi) work “Introduction to the Psychology of a Human Person”,
prepared by one of the teachers, Sopiko Gogochashvili and released by the publishing office
of the Academy. Also, very important are several issues of publications - “Rules and Orders
of Liturgical Feasts” and “Liturgical Studies” which consist of researches done on the most
significant themes of the ecclesiastical calendar.
A good purchase for students is also Murad Tkemaladze’s textbook, titled “A
Technology of Iconography”, which was published in 2016. This edition is organized in
conformity with the demands of the curricula of the Faculty of Ecclesiastical Architecture
and the Faculty of Iconography and Restoration of Lithographic and Monumental
Iconography.
The Publishing Office of the Academy edited “An Annotated Bibliography of Reli-
gious Books, published in 1978-2015”. It was dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the
enthronement of the Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II. This publication was compiled by several
students. The work was supervised by the head of the Department of History, PhD in
Theology, Professor, Archpriest Maxim Chanturia. The editor of the publication is PhD in
Philology, Khatuna Memanishvili.
In the same year, the book, titled “Upbringing of Children According to Judaism” was
published which gives a detailed discourse on the passages of the Old Testament, pertaining
to the raising of children. To a certain extent, this book will also serve as a supplementary
textbook for the students of the Academy. The author of this publication is the teacher of the
Academy Avtandil Asatiani.
The year 2017 is to be marked out for an important edition, titled “The Eastern
Patriarchates of the Orthodox Church (Including the 9th Century)”. This is a translation of the
book written by the well-known scholar Sergey Ternovsky (1848-1916). The translation will
also be of considerable help to the students since it is a book of the history of the Eastern
Christian countries; besides this, a good knowledge of biblical geography is indispensable for
a correct understanding of the Holy Scripture. In this respect, it will also be a reliable source
for the people interested in the theme. The author of the translation is Mrs. Nora Gabriadze;
the book was edited by the member of the staff of the Publishing Office Tamar Chubinidze.
In 2018-2019, two books of conference speeches of Tbilisi Theological Academy and
Seminary were published. These books represent a collection of the speeches given by the
teachers and students at the conferences of 2017-2018. Similar conferences are planned to be
held every year.
Many other interesting projects are under way in the publishing office of Tbilisi
Theological Academy and Seminary. Once they are accomplished, the number of
aforementioned publications will be increased with many new books.