Religion and Traditions

Christian Orthodoxy in Ajara

According to the Orthodox Church, the Virgin Mary selected St. Andrew the First-Called to disseminate Christianity in Georgia and gave him her icon as a protector. After converting the Trabzon population to Christianity, St. Andrew, together with Simon of Cana and St. Matthias, introduced Christianity to Ajara.Simon and Matthias continued their activities in Georgia until their deaths (Simon in Athon and Matthias in Gonio). Dissemination of Christianity in this region was fostered by the active cultural-economic relations with the nearby countries. Widespread church construction developed, the remnants of which are still found today. The first cathedral was built with the name of Archangel in the village of Didachara.Archaeological excavations confirmed the existence of Christian chapels and churches in almost every settled area. The formation of ecclesiastical centers from the earliest days of Christianity: Skhalta in the 4^th century, Petra (Tsikhisdziri) in the 6^th century, Khino in the9^th century, and Tbeti in the 10^th century. The records of travelers and researchers visiting Ajara in the 19^thcentury also confirm that Christian shrines were functioning in almost every village of the medieval Acharistskali Gorge.  
 

Other Religious Denomination in Ajara

Currently representatives of orthodox Christianity and Islam as well as Catholic, Jewish, and Armenian Orthodox religions coexist in Ajara. It is possible to find monuments of all the major religions in the relatively small city of Batumi. An Armenian Apostolic church, a Jewish synagogue, a Catholic church, and the Batumi mosque as well as mosques in Ajara highland together with orthodox Christian churches and cathedral, represent cultural and spiritual wealth of the region. Ajara is one of the most religiously tolerant regions in Georgia as well as throughout Transcaucasia.