The Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church is an integral part of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church, the center of which is the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The Diocese operates under the guidance of the Bible, the canons of the Armenian Church, and the directives of the Catholicos of All Armenians. The Primate of the Diocese is appointed by the order of the Catholicos of All Armenians.

On June 18, 2019, by the Pontifical order of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians Rev. Father Kirakos Davtyan, resigning from the position of Vicar of the Gegharkunik Diocese was appointed to serve as Locum Tenens in the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church in Georgia.

The Headquarters of the Cathedral of Saint George (Surb Gevorg) in Tbilisi, which was built in 2010, serves as the seat of the Diocesan Primate. A consultative board operates under the Primate of the Armenian Diocese of Georgia.

The Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church extends across the territory of Georgia.

DIOCESAN HEADQUARTERS

The Cathedral of Saint George (Surb Gevorg) in Tbilisi, established in the 13th century, is the headquarters of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church in Georgia. The Armenian Diocese in Georgia unites and oversees the churches operating within Georgia, leads the Armenian Christian community, and is under the jurisdiction of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. The Armenian Diocese in Georgia includes communities, and operating and non-operating churches in Tbilisi, and Javakheti, Ajaria, Kvemo Kartli regions. As of 2024, the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church in Georgia has 25 priests and 68 active churches.

In July 2011, the Georgian parliament passed a law allowing religious communities in Georgia to receive Special Status. Based on that law, on March 12, 2012, the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church in Georgia was registered in the Public Registry of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia as a legal entity under Public Law.

The Headquarters of the Diocese presides over the caring life of the Armenian population of Georgia, promotes the concentration of the Armenian community in Georgia around the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church, organizes educational, scholastic, informative, cultural, youth events for the preservation of the Armenian identity, national ethics, morals and values, proper celebrations all the rituals and ceremonies of Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church. The Headquarters of the Diocese presides over the activities of Diocesan churches, monasteries, and chapels throughout Georgia, as well as manages various educational, scientific, scholastic, informative, and cultural; sports, youth, and children’s centers (more you can see in the Departments, Centers section of the website).

The Headquarters of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia was located in the Mother Cathedral of the Monastery (Vank) or Harants Monastery, situated on the right bank of the Kura River, on the former Garetubani Street (now Atoneli Street) in Tbilisi, from the 16th century until the Soviet era.

Currently, the Headquarters of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia is located in the narthex of Saint George Church in Tbilisi, which has been the Prelacy of the Diocese since the 13th century. Saint George Church in Tbilisi was built in 1251.

The Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church in Georgia closely cooperates with the State Agency for Religious Affairs in Georgia, the Georgian Orthodox Church, the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia in Georgia, the relevant institutions and Ministry of the Diaspora, Culture, Education, Science, Sports, and Youth of Armenian, as well as with religious, social, scientific and cultural organizations and unions, both in Georgia and abroad.

History of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church in Georgia

According to historical sources, the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church in Georgia as a separate ecclesiastical unit has existed since the 5th century. The 10th-century Armenian historian Ukhtanes of Sebastia proves this statement. In his book “History in Three Parts”, in the chapter “History of the Severance of the Georgians and Armenians”, the famous historian declares that already in the 5th century there was an official residence of the Armenian Bishop in Tsurtavi. It is remarkable that, even though Tsurtavi region belonged to the Georgian Church, there was an Armenian Diocese there, where from the 5th century by the directive of Saint Shushanik the church ceremonies were conducted in Armenian.

At the same time, it should be mentioned, that according to the 12th century Armenian historian Matthew of Edessa, the greatest Georgian King David the Builder (1089-1125) granted the Highest Status to the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church in Georgia, the administrative center of which was in Tbilisi. It is assumed that the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church in Georgia was officially founded in the 12th century itself in Tbilisi. Since the 13th century, the Cathedral of Saint George (Surb Gevorg) in Tbilisi was declared to be the seat of the Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Holy Church in Georgia. Archbishop Barsegh (Basilios) is mentioned, who participated in the church council of Rumkale in 1178.

Before the establishment of the Diocese, the Armenian community in Georgia was led by Armenian bishops and priests in the 7th century, and the Armenians had their own churches and chapels. In 754, the Armenian Church of the Archangels was built in Tiflis (destroyed in 1593, thoroughly rebuilt in 1781, and finally demolished in 1937). According to the historian Ukhtanes, in the 850s, the Armenian priest Kirakos, who was highly proficient in Georgian writing and science, worked in Tiflis. In 931, the Harants Monastery was built (renovated in 1430, in 1715, and in 1900  with funds provided by the wealthy Armenian benefactor A. Mantashov).

Over the centuries, numerous Armenian churches have been built in Tiflis, including St. Gevorg of Mughni (constructed in 1356 and renovated in 1752 and 1860) and St. Astvatsatsin of Norashen (built in 1507 and renovated in 1650, 1795, and 1830). The latter retains frescoes created by the renowned 18th-century court painter Hovnatan Hovnatanyan. Also noteworthy are the churches of the Holy Mother of God (Surb Astvatsatsin) of Bethlehem in Tbilisi (built in the second half of the 13th century, renovated in 1718, 1884, and 1898, later converted into a Georgian church and Georgianized); the Church of St. Stepanos (Kusanats) (built in 1727, renovated in 1868 and 1910); the Church of St. Nicholas (built in 1703, renovated in 1784 and 1868); and the church of the Khojivank cemetery. The latter, established in 1655 by the Armenian Armenian Behbutovs princes, was originally built as a cemetery and later transformed into a pantheon. Famous Armenian princes, high-ranking clergymen, and famous cultural figures such as Raffi, Ghazaros Aghayan, Muratsan, Grigor Artsruni, Jivani, Nar-Dos, Perch Proshyan, Gabriel Sundukyan, Hovhannes Tumanyan, Makar Yekmalyan, and others are buried here.

Many primates of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia were prominent clergymen, intellectuals, public figures, and politicians who played a patriotic role not only in Georgia but also in the broader Armenian community. For example, Sargis IV Georgia, Hovhannes V Karbets, Nerses V Ashtarakes, Makar I Teghut, Gevorg V Surenyants, Gevorg V Chorekchyan, who were later consecrated Catholicos of All Armenians, and Garegin I Hovsepyan, who was later consecrated Catholicos of Holy See of Cilicia. The primates of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia were the poet, educator, and public figure Harutyun Vardapet Alamdaryan, and Archbishop Stepanos Arghutian, during whose reign the three-story prelacy of the diocese was built in Tbilisi. In 1824, Archbishop Nerses Ashtaraketsi founded the Nersisian School, which played a significant role in Armenian educational and spiritual life.

Archbishop Karapet Bagratuni was particularly notable for his contributions to the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia. During his 20 years of leadership, approximately 60 churches and numerous Armenian schools were established, including the new Karapetyan School (founded between 1842 and 1844) in Akhaltsikhe and the Mesropyan School for males in Akhalkalaki.

In 1837, there were 198 Armenian churches, monasteries, and chapels in Georgia, and in 1903, including the Ardvin-Artanush region, the number of churches reached 256.

During the Soviet era, almost all churches and monasteries operating in the diocese were closed due to violence and persecution. In Tbilisi alone, many significant Armenian churches were destroyed, including the St. Gregory Church in Kukia (built in 1789), the St. Karapet Church in Havlabar (built in 1400 and rebuilt in 1790), the St. Gregory the Illuminator Church (built in 1894), the St. Sargis Church in Kharpoukh (built in 1716), Harants Monastery, the Church of the Archangels, the St. Vardan Church in Metekhi (built in 1893), the Avetyats St. Astvatsatsin Church in Jigrashen (built in 1704), the St. Gevorg Church in Navtlugh (built in 1897), Khojivank, and many other churches, monasteries, and chapels. Of the approximately 650 Armenian churches built in Georgia during the 7th to 20th centuries, about 320 still remain standing today.

The Armenian Diocese in Georgia encompasses the Armenian communities in the regions of Tbilisi, Javakhk, Adjara, and Kvemo Kartli, as well as both active and inactive churches, including those still standing and those in ruins. (For more details, see the Churches section of the website.)

Headquarters of the Armenian Diocese in Georgia

5, Samghebro St., 0105 – Tbilisi, Georgia

Phone: +995322922248

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.