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Thursday, November 12
Prophet Ahijah the Shilonite
Sinaxarion

Saint

John I of Mtskheta

First Archbishop of Georgia

First archbishop of the Georgian Church, who served between 335 and 363.

Feast
March 3old style March 16
Era
unknown
Order
Hierarchs

Life

John I of Mtskheta (John, first archbishop of Georgia) shepherded the Church of Georgia between 335 and 363, after the conversion of King Mirian of Kartli. The history of ancient Georgia, in “The Conversion of Kartli”, counts him as first archbishop (catholicos) of the Georgian Church, with his see at Mtskheta.

The surviving sources are few. It is said that King Mirian, converted through Saint Nino, sent to Emperor Constantine the Great for a bishop and priests, and John came to Kartli, baptized the people and consecrated churches. With him begins the line of the catholicoi of Georgia.

Commemorated the same day March 3