According to tradition, when the Apostles were sent out to preach the Gospel to the nations of the world, the Apostle Andrew the First-called went to preach in the districts of the Caucasus corresponding to modern Georgia (ancient Colchis and Iberia), taking with him the Holy Mother's Uncreated Icon (an icon of the Virgin Mary that tradition holds was not made by human hands). Another tradition says that the Holy Apostle Simon the Canaanite (better known in the West as Simon the Zealot) also travelled to the Caucasus, and Georgian tradition holds that he preached in Western Georgia and was buried near Sokhumi, in the village of Comani. Another Holy Apostle, Saint Matthias, is said to have preached in the southwest of Georgia, and to have been buried in Gonio, a village not far from Batumi. Some Christian sources also attest to the presence in Georgia of the Apostles Bartholomew and Thaddeus.

The first Georgian Eparchy was founded in Atskuri (south-west Georgia), traditionally by the Apostle Andrew.

The oldest Georgian church was constructed in the beginning of the 3rd century, in the village Nastakisi (Kartli province of Eastern Georgia).



From 303 AD, Saint Nino of Cappadocia (left), daughter of a Roman general (and honoured as 'Equal to the Apostles'), preached Christianity in the Georgian kingdom of Iberia (Eastern Georgia). In 337 it was adopted as the state religion by the rulers of Iberia, King (later Saint) Mirian II and Queen (later Saint) Nana. Western Georgia, then part of the Roman Empire, became Christianised in a gradual process that was complete by the 6th century. The Western Georgian Kingdom of Egrisi declared Christianity as the state religion in 523. The country adopted Saint George as its patron saint. Georgian Orthodox tradition also holds that Georgia is a country under the special protection and intercession of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and affection for the Theotokos runs very deep in Georgian Orthodox consciousness.

Georgian Christianity was historically influenced by the church of the Byzantine Empire, and has always been part of the wider Eastern Orthodox Church. From the 320s, the Georgian Orthodox Church was under the jurisdiction of the Apostolic See of Antioch. The Georgian Orthodox Church become autocephalous (independent) in 466 when the Patriarchate of Antioch elevated the Bishop of Mtskheta to the rank of Catholicos of Kartli. In 1010 the Catholicos of Kartli was elevated to the honor of Patriarch. From then on, the premier hierarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church carried the official title of Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia.

Between the 6th and 9th centuries, Georgia underwent a cultural transformation as monastiscism flourished. Important monasteries were founded at a number of locations, notably the Iveron monastery on Mount Athos in Greece, where many important religious works were translated from Greek into Georgian. Significant works of hagiographic literature were also produced in Georgian, such as the "Life of Saint Nino" and "Martyrdom of the Holy Queen Shushanik".

Well-known centers of Christian culture included the Georgian Monastery in Sinai, the monastery complex (Iveron) on Mount Athos (the well-known "Wonderworking Iberian Icon of the Mother of God" is located in this Monastery), Georgian churches in the historic province Tao-Klarjeti (part of Turkey since the 16th century), the Georgian Petritsoni Monastery in Bulgaria, Bagrati Cathedral, Gelati Monastery and Academy, Ikalto Monastery complex and Academy, Svetitskhoveli Cathedral, the monastery in Martvili, and the monastic complex at Davidgareja.

Outstanding Georgian representatives of Christian culture included Evagrius Ponticus (Evagre Pontoeli, 4th century), Peter the Iberian (Petre Iberieli, 5th century), Euthimius the Athonite (Ekvtime Atoneli, 955-1028), Giorgi the Athonite (Giorgi Atoneli, 1009-1065), Arsen Ikaltoeli (11th century), and Epraim the Lesser (Eprem Mtsire, 11th century).

The invasions of Genghis Khan in the 13th century and Tamerlane in the 15th century greatly disrupted Georgian Christianity. Between the 15th and 18th centuries both church and state were divided into eastern and western parts, and accordingly the two parts of the Church were ruled by two Catholicos-Patriarchs. In 1801 the Kingdom of Kartl-Kakheti (Eastern Georgia) was occupied and annexed by the Tsarist Russian Empire. In 1811, the autocephalous status of the Georgian Church was abolished by the Russian authorities, despite strong opposition in Georgia, and the Georgian Church was subjected to the synodical rule of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Georgian liturgy was suppressed and replaced with Russian.