Georgia is one of the ancient Christian countries. The first preachers of the new faith in the country were the immediate disciples of Jesus Christ – Saint Apostles. Since the first half of the 4th century Christianity has been the state ideology of Georgia and language of culture. By defending Christianity Georgia defended itself from the enemies, and as a result has survived.
The Redeemer’s descent upon the World is considered to be the most sacred event in the history of the mankind and it generated the elevated feelings among Georgians as well. In the current year, every Georgian, men of world or priesthood, tried in their own way to favour this bright date. To this kind of celebration belonges the International Symposium “Christianity: Past, Present, Future” held on 11-17 October, 2000 under the guidance of the Georgian Patriarchate, the Institute of History and Ethnology of the Georgian Academy of Sciences and NGO Fund “Udabno”.
The Organizing Committee of the Symposium offered to the scientific circles several global problems for discussion such as: Christianity and State, Christianity and Society, Christianity and Culture. The themes generated high interest and consequently 153 scientists of 49 scientific research centers (that of Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Georgia, Germany, Latvia, Russia, Slovenia, Ukraine, Yugoslavia) responded and expressed their intention to participate. Finally 113 papers were contributed.
Materials from different branches of science (history, historiography, source studies, ethnology, literary criticism, jurisprudence, science studies, art studies, philosophy, etc.) gave opportunity to the participants of the Symposium to discuss the problems in the widest context.
The short contents of the contributed papers edited by Mary Chkhartishvili and Lado Mirianashvili were published in the working languages of the Symposium – Georgian, English and Russian.
The opening session was held at the Patriarchate of Georgia. It was opened by His Holiness and Beatitude Ilia II who blessed the Symposium and wished to the participants and guests interesting and fruitful work.
The Symposium was addressed by the Chairman of the Georgian Parliament Zurab Zhvania, who paid attention to the importance of the relationship between State and Church for the whole society of Georgia.
Director of the I. Javakhishvili Institute of History and Ethnology, Georgian Academy of Sciences, academician David Muskhelishvili in his speech focused on the greatest role Christianity had played upon the history of Georgian nation.
The Executive Director of NGO Fund “Udabno”, the Head of the Foreign Relations Department of the Georgian Academy of Sciences Dr. Lado Mirianashvili indicated and asserted importance of close collaboration of State, Church, scientific centers with non-governmental organizations, and accentuated the role of the Fund “Udabno” in the study of the Georgian Christian culture.
The Leading Research Scientist of the I. Javakhishvili Institute of History and Ethnology, Georgian Academy of Sciences Prof. Mary Chkhartishvili informed the participants of the work done by the Organizing Committee, the goals of the Symposium, timetable, etc.
The scholars were greeted by the participants of the Symposium: by Dr. Godula Kosak (The Phillips University, Marburg, Germany), Prof. Marko Kershevan (The Liubliana University, Liubliana, Slovenia), Dr. Brigitta Schrade (The Institute of History and Culture, the Free University, Berlin, Germany).
The society present at the opening session was greeted by the guest Archimandrite Dionisos (the church of the Ascention of Cross, the monastery of Thebes, Greece).
Archbishop Anania Japaridze delivered a lecture on “Georgian Apostolic Church at the Threshold of the 3rd Millenium”. Prof. Michael Kurdiani delivered a lecture on the “Tunic of Jesus Christ and Georgian Messiahnism”.
The Georgian Patriarchate held a reception after the official part for the participants and guests. On the same day the organizers of the Symposium held a press-conference.
The Symposium continued it’s work in four sections: 1. Christian Church, State, Society, 2. Christian Culture, 3. The History of Christianity, Source Studies, Historiography – Middle Ages. 4. The History of Christianity, Source studies, Historiography – new and current period.
The working sessions were held at the Presidium of the Georgian Academy of Sciences and I. Javakhishvili Institute of History and Ethnology. Twenty sessions were held in all. The papers generated great interest and discussions around them often lasted more than it was scheduled.
The scholars discussed the problems of the foundation of Christian Church, monasticism, syncretism of cultures, the relationship between confessions, the state religious politics, religious issues in the current ideology, ecclesiastic education, women’s role in christian society, relationship between religion and science, source studies of the history of Christianity, christian archaeology, christian art, the influence of Christianity on the development of nation and it’s mode of being, etc.
On 14 October the participants of the Symposium attended the festive service dedicated to the Tunic of Jesus Christ at the Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. Besides they visited sights of Mtskheta, the former capital of Georgia. In the evening was held the banquet at the restaurant “Guria” in one of the oldest parts of Tbilisi (Rike). On 15 October, in the second half of the day, part of the participants of the Symposium attended the festive evening “Christianity 2000” at the Big Philarmonic Concert Hall of Georgia, others visited the Institute of Horticulture, Viticulture and Wine-Making of the Georgian Academy of Agriculture. Here they were shown the exhibition of the Wine Museum, which reflects the century-long history of viticulture in Georgia and it’s contemporary state. The guests participated in wine-tasting of the well-known Georgian wine brands.
On 16 October the participants of the Symposium visited the Holy places of Georgia: graves of St. Nino (the Illuminator of Georgians) in Bodbe, of St. David Garejeli, St. Lukiane and St. Dodo in Gareji hermitage. On 18 October, after closing the Symposium, the foreign participants were taken to Samtavro Convent, where the first Christan king and queen of Georgia – St. Mirian and St. Nana are burried, and visited the place called “Maqvlovani” – the initial place of St. Nino’s activities, marked by the small church. They also visited the Shio’s grave in the Monastery of Shio-Mghvime. In the second half of the day the foreign guest were hosted in his studio by the Georgian sculpturer and artist Guram Papinashvili.
The closing session of the Symposium was held on 17 October at the Presidium of the Georgian Accademy of Sciences .
Keynote speeches were made by the chairmen of the sessions: Nino Abakelia, Sergi Avaliani, Eldar Bubulashvili, Mary Chkhartishvili, Nino Chikovani, Natia Jalabadze, Otar Janelidze, Temo Jojua, Mary Karbelashvili, Guram Kipiani, Gocha Kutchukhidze, Dodo Lomidze, David Lomitashvili, Kitty Machabeli,Nodar Natadze, Manana Sanadze, Nestan Sulava. The Deputy Director of the Institute of History and Ethnology, Georgian Academy of Sciences Prof. Alexander Daushvili summed up the results of the Symposium and made further statement with regret, that unfortunately the Organizing Commitee had no possibility for holding the planned round table meetings with participation of the representatives of diverse confessions - general public, politicians and Mass Media. Responsibity for such failure rests with the leadership of the Foundation “Open Society – Georgia”, which in contrary to its goals did not support discussions on the urgent problems of relationship between various confessions in the post-communist space.
Academician David Muskhelishvili emphasized the special importance of the experience, which had been accumulated in course of the Symposium as a result of collaboration between the specialists of different branches from different countries.
Dr. Lado Mirianashvili indicated and asserted the importance of the popularization of the scientific results and of the jurisdictional regulation of the religious life in the state.
Prof. Mary Chkhartishvili offered to found a scientific-research Centre on the problems of Christianity.
Academician Tomas Gamkrelidze (The G. Tsereteli Institute of Oriental Studies, Georgian Academy of Sciences, Tbilisi, Georgia) appreciated the wide thematic spectre of the Symposium and added that it would be also interesting to discuss the problem of the origin of national alphabet and christianization of a country, etc.
Prof. Elka Bakalova (The Institute of the History of Art, the Academy of Sciences of Bulgaria, Sofia, Bulgaria) appraised the Symposium, which gave opportunity to the specialists of different fields of science to meet and collaborate. She also noted successful participation of young scholars.
Prof. Natalia Pushkareva (the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia) supported the idea of founding the International Centre on Nhristian researches. She also offered to participate in the analogous events in Russia.
The International Symposium “Christianity: Past, Present, Future” proved that collaboration of specialists will ensure success of researches on Christianity.