Georgians

Pre-Christian cults. Archaeology shows a diversity of local and borrowed religious practices. The study of Dedoplis Gora examines the combination of Iranian, including Zoroastrian, and local cults in first-century CE Kartli. This is an interpretation of a specific complex, not a single religion of all Georgian ancestors. Armazi and chronicle memory. The Georgian chronicle tradition links the cult of Armazi with King Parnavaz and Mtskheta; Gatsi and Gaim are mentioned nearby. This is a narrative about the past, not a protocol contemporary with the events. The origin of the cult and its connection with Iranian and Anatolian traditions remain a subject of interpretation. Different sanctuaries of one palace. David Gagoshidze in a 2026 study distinguishes three cult rooms at Dedoplis Gora. He proposes seeing a combination of Zoroastrian, Apollo-related and local agricultural practices. These are hypotheses about specific first-century archaeological finds, not a description of the religion of all of Georgia. The first Christian communities. A Christian presence preceded the conversion of the royal court. Ties with Eastern Mediterranean communities and translations of Scripture became part of early church history. The establishment of the official religion and the appearance of the first believers are different stages. Saint Nino and the conversion of Kartli. The Christianization of the royal court of Mirian III in the fourth century is linked in Georgian tradition with the mission of Nino. Early and later narratives differ in detail; the hagiographic miracles represent religious tradition, which the historian compares with other evidence. Mtskheta, churches and written culture. Mtskheta became one of the main church centers. Jvari, Svetitskhoveli and Samtavro reflect different stages of construction. The development of churches, translations, monasteries and education spread Christian practice over centuries, not in a single day. Dated evidenceof Christian culture. The building inscription of Bolnisi Sioni dates to 493/494. The text in Asomtavruli mentions the Trinity, Bishop David and the construction of the church. The reading of damaged passages has variants; the dating relies on historical-epigraphic analysis. Monastery, school and translations. Gelati, founded in 1106, combined worship with education and book work. The academy attracted scholars and translators, and the scriptorium was engaged in copying manuscripts. Such centers supported the spread of religious knowledge and the development of written culture. Regional forms of religious life. Among the mountain societies of Eastern Georgia, local sanctuaries and traditions retained special significance. Christian images interacted with communal and family rites. The modern form of a festival does not necessarily reproduce an ancient custom unchanged. How Islam spread. The first lasting Islamic presences are linked with Arab rule and Muslim communities of medieval cities. Later Ottoman and Iranian influence affected various areas. The existence of Muslim rule did not mean the automatic conversion of all local inhabitants. Adjarian and other Georgian Muslims. In Adjara the spread of Islam is linked with the Ottoman period; a significant part of the communities preserved the Georgian language and local culture. Among Adjarians there are both Muslims and Christians. Religion does not serve as a sufficient criterion for determining ethnicity. Georgians of Iran. Communities forcibly resettled to Iran adopted Islam over time. Materials about Fereydan show the long preservation of Georgian speech. The history of these communities cannot be mechanically transferred to all Georgian Muslims. Catholic communities. Catholic history is linked with centuries-old missions, local communities and cultural contacts. Georgian origin and Catholic affiliation are compatible; religious designations in old documents require consideration of context and are not always equivalent to ethnonyms. Autocephaly and its restoration. In 1811 the Russian imperial authorities abolished the independent administration of the Georgian Church. On 12/25 March 1917 the restoration of autocephaly was proclaimed. These are church-historical milestones that should be distinguished from the dates of the adoption of Christianity. Soviet anti-religious policy. Repressions, the closure of religious institutions and restrictions on public practice affected various communities. Family rites, festivals and the memory of sacred places were preserved unevenly. Secular culture also became part of the lives of several generations. Contemporary diversity. Orthodoxy occupies an important place in Georgian history and culture, but there are Georgian Muslims, Catholics, members of other confessions and secular people. Religion figures for the entire population of Georgia cannot be passed off as religious statistics for ethnic Georgians alone.