ISSUES OF THE HISTORY OF THE GEORGIAN CHURCH ON THE PAGES OF "MTSKEMSI" MAGAZINE

Abstract

The main task of “Mtskemsi” magazine, as it had been defined by the editorial board itself, was to bring the light of Christ into the consciousness of the people through popular articles and pamphlets with religious and moral content. Valuable and significant issues about the history of the Church of Georgia were systematically published in the magazine “ Mtskemsi” which gave very important materials for scientific research in Georgian historiography.
In this regard, the letters and the articles of Bishop Kirion, Bishop Leonidas, Decanus David Gambashidze, Sergi Gorgadze, and other researchers are particularly important. In 1887, in the ninth issue of the magazine “Pastir”, Bishop Kirion’s letter was published under the title: “a brief outline of Georgian church history.” Bishop Kirion extensively reviews the important issues of the history of the Georgian Church. He critically estimated Georgian historiography based on the historical
situation.
The issue of the autocephaly of the Georgian Church was given a lot of space in the “Mtskemsi” magazine. In this respect, the letters of Bishop Leonidis, Dean Davit Gambashidze, and two unknown authors are outstanding. Based on historical sources, following the right reasoning, they fairly pointed out the need to restore the autocephaly of the Georgian Church. The last-mentioned magazine also published a letter from an unknown author, who drew attention to the situation of the
Georgian clergy.
By comparing the current and the previous century clergymen, he drew a sharp line between them. Based on the historical context, he showed the merit of the old clergy before the nation and the country and pointed out the inaction of the present one.