BISHOPS OF NIKORTSMINDA IN 1534-1822

Abstract

In the first half of the XVI the Episcopacy Cathedral of Nikortsminda was established by the king of Imereti Bagrat III. Manuel was the first Bishop of Nikortsminda. Before that he was the head of Khoni Cathedral and later he became a Bishop of Atskuri. According to the existing sources Ioakim appears as the second Bishop of Nikortsminda .Ioakim took part in church meeting held in West Georgia in the 50-s of XVI century. In the second half of XVI century,Nikortsminda Episcopacy Cathedral was led by Melkisedk Sakvarelidze who was the first bishop of Gelati,as well as by Ambrosi Bakradze and David Sakvarelidze. Nikoloz,Swimon Chkhetidze (later the Bishop of West Georgia), David Mithropolit, Swimon Japaridze,Gedeon Lortkipanidze and Swimon Tsulukidze worked at the Nikortminda Cathedral in the XVII century. Due to the hardest period of time, Nikortsminda stopped its existence in the first half of XVIII century but it was restored in 1750-s and Germane Tsulukidze became the head of Nikortsminda Cathedral. Germane was a devoted and trustful man of Rostom Chkhaidze(the head of Racha region),who was a great enemy of the king Solomon. That’s why the king Solomon ordered Silibistro Gogoberidze to be a new head of Nikortsminda Ccthedral. Silibistro died tragically, as he was killed by a peasant - Nadiradze. After this Germane Tsulukidze returned to his position. In 1793 Sopronios Tsulukidze appears as the last Bishop of Nikortsminda. In 1820 under the Russian reforms, four episcopacy Cathedrals(Kutaisi,Gelati,Khoni, Nikortsminda)were abolished and Imereti Eparchy was established. Sopronios Nikortsmindeli was elected as the head of it for his devoutness to the Russian government. Sopronios died in 1742 and was buried into the Kutaisi Episcopacy Cathedral.