Melchizedek I (Georgian: მელქისედეკ I) was the first Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, from 1010 to 1033,[1] reigning from Ani. He is revered as a saint by the Georgian Orthodox Church. Before him, heads of the Georgian Church only bore the title of Catholicos of Kartli. The unification of Georgia into a single kingdom by Bagrat III (r. 975–1014) led to the change in title.
St. Melchizedek I | |
|---|---|
 Icon of Melchizedek | |
| Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia | |
| Died | 1033 |
| Venerated in | Georgian Orthodox Church |
| Canonized | October 17, 2002, Georgia by Georgian Orthodox Church |
| Feast | October 1 |
In 1031, Melchizedek successfully petitioned Bagrat III for tax immunity for the Church, demonstrating the important power the Church had at the time and its influence over the State.[2]
He visited Constantinople several times, and met with the Byzantine Emperor Basil II.[citation needed]
Melchizedek was glorified by the Georgian Orthodox Church on October 17, 2002. His feast is celebrated on October 1.[3]
References
edit- ^ Grdzelidze, Tamara (2011). ""Georgia, Patriarchal Orthodox Church of"". In John Anthony McGuckin (ed.). The Encyclopedia of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. John Wiley & Sons. p. 273. ISBN 978-1-4051-8539-4. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
- ^ Rapp, Stephen H. Jr. (2007). "7 - Georgian Christianity". The Blackwell Companion to Eastern Christianity. John Wiley & Sons. p. 146. ISBN 978-1-4443-3361-9. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
- ^ "Commemorated October 1/14. Saint Melchizedek, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia (11th century)". OrthoChristian.Com. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
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