“THE LIFE OF ST. ANTON MARTKOPELI” AS A HISTORICAL AND LITERARY COMPOSITION

Abstract

One of the figures among 13 Assyrian Fathers in Georgian hymnography is St. Anton Martkopeli. Very little is kept in hymnography and historical sources. His name is mentioned in publications of St. Ioane Zedazneli and St, Shio Mghvimeli together with Assyrian Fathers who came with St. Ioane Zedazneli. This is the only written source which came to us since VIc. Catholicos, Arsen Bulmaisimisdze gives information about Anton Martkopeli in his hymnographical compositions in 30s , XIIIc. The complete publication of which is kept in the collection of works A-85 by Abuseridze Tbeli. Two Svinaksaruli publications (vast and short) of “The Life of St. Anton Martkopeli” are kept in several manuscripts. Its sources are: “The Torture of St. Abibo Nekreseli”, “The Life of St. Davit Garejeli”, The will of St. Abuseridze Tbeli, Songs of Arsen Bulmaisimisdze. According to “The Life of St. Anton Martkopeli”s” both editions, St. Anton Martkopeli brought the image of Savior‟s not man made icon expressed on the clay to Georgia. There are different views in scientific literature about Assyrian Fathers‟ and among them about St. Anton Martkopelis” confession. According to the traditional view they were Orthodox Christians having Diopizituri consciousness. Vast and short Svinaksarian éditions of „The Life of St. Anton Martkopeli‟ are historical and literary compositions, which tell us about unknown episodes of Assyrian Fathers. The knowledge of Georgian and foreign sources used in the composition is necessary to know.