Holy Mother of God Church of Bethlehem, Tbilisi
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Holy Mother of God Church of Bethlehem ( ka, ზემო ბეთლემის მაცხოვრის შობის ტაძარი, ''zemo betlemis matskhovris shobis tadzari''; hy, Բեթղեհեմի Սուրբ Աստվածածին եկեղեցի or ''Betlehemi Surb Astvatsatsin yekeghetsi''; also now known as the Upper Bethlehem Church) is a church in
Tbilisi Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Kura River with a population of approximately 1.5 million p ...
,
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...
. Built as an Armenian church in the 18th century, on the site of an older church, it now operates as a
Georgian orthodox church The Apostolic Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Georgia ( ka, საქართველოს სამოციქულო ავტოკეფალური მართლმადიდებელი ეკლესია, tr), commonly ...
.


History

Upper Betlemi church is located at the foot of Narikala fortress in Kldis-Ubani (Roch District) district of
Tbilisi Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), is the capital and the largest city of Georgia, lying on the banks of the Kura River with a population of approximately 1.5 million p ...
. Firstly the chapel was founded, but the manager of construction priest Gregory died and was buried near the chapel. The work was completed by his grandson Barsegh. For long time services was held in that chapel. and the church remained unfinished. The upper parts, constructed of black stone, were built by Agha-Meliq Bebutyan, a participant of the Indian crusade of
Nadir Shah Nader Shah Afshar ( fa, نادر شاه افشار; also known as ''Nader Qoli Beyg'' or ''Tahmāsp Qoli Khan'' ) (August 1688 – 19 June 1747) was the founder of the Afsharid dynasty of Iran and one of the most powerful rulers in Iranian ...
and who was killed in battle against the
Turks Turk or Turks may refer to: Communities and ethnic groups * Turkic peoples, a collection of ethnic groups who speak Turkic languages * Turkish people, or the Turks, a Turkic ethnic group and nation * Turkish citizen, a citizen of the Republic ...
in 1724. He invited two nuns from the St. Yekaterina Monastery in
New Julfa New Julfa ( fa, نو جلفا – ''Now Jolfā'', – ''Jolfâ-ye Now''; hy, Նոր Ջուղա – ''Nor Jugha'') is the Armenian quarter of Isfahan, Iran, located along the south bank of the Zayande River. Established and named after the ol ...
. His son Meliq Avetis built the fence. According to priests of the church Melikset and Mesrop Ter-Grigoryan the new church was founded by priest Sargis in cooperation with Khoja-Parukh, Baghdasar, Harutyun and Stepan. The foundation of the chapel was in the end of the 13th century. Construction of bigger church was held during reign of catholicos Eghiazar (1681–1691) and Alexander (1706–1714). During the second half of the 18th century the Archpriest of the church was Mkhitar, who was murdered by Agha Mohammed Khan for refusing to show the hiding-place where the church treasures were kept. After Mikhtar his son Stepanos becomes the Prior, "a priest gifted", who is much described in scripts. In 1981, during excavations inside the church, the basement of the chapel was found Бетхем Сурб Аствацатин
/ref>. The church is headed by Father Ioane Rostiashvili.


Georgian appropriation

In 1994 the church was placed under the control of the Georgian Orthodox Church. In 1990, the original Armenian cross of the church was removed. In 1990-1991, the Armenian fresco in the interior of the dome depicting the Holy Father was erased. Also, the Armenian altar piece, originally constructed in 1898, along with the Armenian inscription attesting to its construction was completely destroyed by early 1990. The basin for baptism was also completely destroyed. The late-17th-century inscribed Armenian khachkar was removed from the entrance and later disappeared.


Gallery

Image:Old Tbilisi -- Armenian Quarter.jpg, View of Holy Mother of God Church (middle) and two other Armenian churches in Old Tbilisi: Saint Stepanos (far right) and
Saint George Saint George (Greek: Γεώργιος (Geórgios), Latin: Georgius, Arabic: القديس جرجس; died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was a Christian who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to tradition he was a soldie ...
(center left) Image:Tbilisi, Georgia 1 (M).jpg, Another view of the Armenian Quarter with Saint Bethlehem Church (above center) File:Tbilisi, Bethlehem Quarter.jpg


See also

* Church of Saint Stepanos of the Holy Virgins ("Lower Bethlehem Church") * Saint Gevorg of Mughni * Armenians in Georgia *
Atashgah of Tbilisi The Atashgah, also transcribed as 'Ateshgah ( ka, ათეშგა, from fa, آتشگاه, "fire temple") is an ancient Zoroastrian fire temple in Tbilisi, Georgia. It was built when Georgia was a part of Persian Empire in Sasanian era (224-65 ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Holy Mother Of God Church Of Bethlehem, Tbilisi Armenian churches in Tbilisi Old Tbilisi