Michael Brooks
Georgia is home to a large Catholic community, which has existed since the 18th century. The Catholic Church in Georgia is one of the fastest-growing religious institutions in the state. As of 2012, approximately 1.2 million Catholics resided in Georgia, served by the Archdiocese of Atlanta and the Diocese of Savannah. In this response, we will explore the history of the Catholic Church in Georgia, the establishment of dioceses, and the current state of the Catholic community in the state.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Catholic Dioceses in Georgia | 2 (Diocese of Savannah and Archdiocese of Atlanta) |
| Date of Establishment of the Diocese of Savannah | 1850 |
| Headquarters of the Latin Apostolic Administration of the Caucasus | Tbilisi |
| Number of Catholics in Georgia (2012) | 1.2 million |
| Percentage of Catholics in Georgia (2020) | 1% |
| Number of Catholics in Georgia (2020) | 37,000 |
| Number of Catholic Churches in Tbilisi | 3 |
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What You'll Learn
The Catholic Church in Georgia
The history of the Catholic Church in Georgia dates back to the 4th century when Saint Nino evangelized the region. Georgian Orthodox Christianity developed in the Byzantine Orthodox tradition, and by the 11th-century East-West Schism, Latin Church Catholics became the dominant group. A significant Armenian Catholic presence emerged in the 18th century, and Georgian Catholics have historically faced challenges in practicing their rites due to political and religious influences.
During the mid-19th century, Georgia experienced an influx of Irish and German Catholics, and the Vatican established the Diocese of Charleston in 1820, covering Georgia and the Carolinas. By 1850, the Catholic population in Georgia had grown to over 5,000, leading to the creation of the Diocese of Savannah. Savannah remained a centre of Catholicity until the early 20th century.
In the early 20th century, Georgian Catholics numbered around 50,000, with 40,000 Latins and the rest primarily Armenian Catholics. During the country's brief independence from 1918 to 1921, there were attempts at reunification with the Holy See, but civil war and the Soviet invasion hindered these efforts. The Soviet period saw persecution, with the execution of the Georgian Catholic exarch, Shio Batmanishvili, in 1937.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, a Latin apostolic administration was established in 1993, with headquarters in Tbilisi. As of 2012, approximately 1.2 million Catholics resided in Georgia, served by the Archdiocese of Atlanta and the Diocese of Savannah. Smaller communities are scattered across rural and southern regions, with exclusively Catholic villages in the south.
In summary, the Catholic Church in Georgia has a long history dating back to the 4th century and has experienced periods of growth and persecution. The Catholic population in Georgia today is significant, with a strong presence in both urban and rural areas, and the church continues to play an important role in the religious landscape of the state.
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The Latin Rite and Armenian Rite
The Catholic Church in Georgia has been predominantly composed of Latin Church Catholics since the 11th-century East-West Schism. A significant community of Armenian Catholics has also existed in Georgia since the 18th century.
The Latin Rite
The Latin Rite, also known as the Roman Rite, is the most widely used rite within the Catholic Church. It is used by the Latin Church, which is the largest and most populous of the 24 autonomous (sui iuris) churches that together constitute the Catholic Church. The Latin Rite is characterised by the use of Latin as the liturgical language and the celebration of the Mass according to the Roman Missal.
The Latin Rite in Georgia has a long history, dating back to the East-West Schism in the 11th century. At the outbreak of World War I, there were about 50,000 Catholics in Georgia, with approximately 40,000 of them being Latin Catholics. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, a Latin apostolic administration of the Caucasus was established in 1993, with its headquarters in Tbilisi, Georgia.
The Armenian Rite
The Armenian Rite is the liturgical rite used by the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian Catholic Church. It is one of the oldest liturgical traditions in Christianity, dating back to the conversion of the Armenians to Christianity by St. Gregory the Illuminator around 300 AD. The Armenian Rite is characterised by unique liturgical practices and disciplines, such as the use of unleavened bread and wine without added water for the Eucharist.
The Armenian Rite in Georgia has a significant presence, with a large community of Armenian Catholics in the country since the 18th century. During the 19th century, some Georgian Catholics adopted the Armenian Rite due to the outlawing of Byzantine "Uniate" groups by the tsars. In 1911, the Armenian Catholic synod in Rome emphasised the importance of conforming to Armenian liturgical forms while incorporating Latin interpolations. The Armenian Catholic Church in Georgia became part of the Ordinariate for Catholics of Armenian Rite in Eastern Europe, established in 1991.
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Catholic population and demographics
The Catholic Church in Georgia represents a small minority of the country's population, with estimates ranging from 0.5% to 1%. This equates to approximately 37,000 Catholics in Georgia, who are mostly found in the capital city of Tbilisi or in the southern region of the country, where exclusively Catholic villages exist. There are three Catholic churches in Tbilisi: the Cathedral of Our Lady in the old town, the parish church of Sts. Peter and Paul, and the Mar Shimon Bar Sabbae Assyrian Chaldean Catholic Church in Saburtalo.
Historically, Georgian Catholics were estimated to number around 50,000 at the outbreak of the First World War, with about 40,000 of these being Latin Catholics and the others mainly Armenian Catholics. The Georgian Catholic Church belongs to the Roman Catholic Church and has been composed mainly of Latin Church Catholics since the 11th-century East-West Schism. A large community of the Armenian Catholic Church has existed in Georgia since the 18th century, and a small Georgian Greek Catholic community has existed for several centuries.
Catholic missionaries began working in Georgian territory in the 13th century, leading to the expansion of Catholicism throughout the country. However, under Imperial Russia in 1845, Catholics were not allowed to use the Byzantine Rite, and many adopted the Armenian Rite until religious liberty was instituted in 1905. During the Soviet era, the Georgian Catholic Church faced significant challenges, with only one open place of worship remaining in Tbilisi after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Despite these difficulties, the Catholic Church in Georgia has been active in social issues, particularly in the areas of healthcare, education, and aid to those in need.
The practice of faith in Georgia has historically been a part of the country's culture, surviving even during the years of Soviet rule. While Orthodox Christianity constitutes the majority of the Georgian population, with approximately 85% adherence, Georgia has always been a crossroads between East and West for peoples and cultures, fostering an open and welcoming attitude towards visitors. This cultural exchange has also influenced the religious landscape, with various Christian denominations and other religious groups coexisting in the country.
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History of Catholic missions in Georgia
The history of Catholic missions in Georgia dates back to the 16th and 17th centuries when Spanish priests first arrived in the region seeking to convert Native Americans. This period, known as the mission era, extended from 1568 to 1684 and was dominated by Spanish colonial efforts to assimilate Georgia's indigenous Native American chiefdoms into their religious and political systems. Despite the largely unsuccessful initial attempts by Jesuit priests, the subsequent efforts of Franciscan friars led to the establishment of the first successful Catholic mission in Georgia, San Pedro de Mocama, on Cumberland Island.
During this time, Catholic missions were established in several Mocama and Guale towns along the Georgia coast, with Santa Catalina de Guale on St. Catherines Island becoming the capital. However, the Guale rebellion of 1597 resulted in the murder of several friars and the temporary abandonment of northern missions. Despite this setback, additional missions were established in the early 17th century, extending across the southern and coastal regions of Georgia.
The mission period in Georgia was marked by a rapid and substantial decline in the Indian population, with widespread forced resettlements contributing to the eventual abandonment of interior missions. Armed slave raids by Indians allied with the English further destabilized the region, forcing coastal missions to retreat to the barrier islands by 1685. A final pirate raid in 1684 left Georgia's remaining missions in ruins, bringing an end to the mission era.
In the centuries that followed, the Catholic Church in Georgia was primarily composed of Latin Church Catholics, with a significant presence of Armenian Catholics. In 1329, a Latin Church diocese was established in Tbilisi, but it lapsed in 1507 due to the small number of Catholics. The Theatine and Capuchin orders established new missions in Georgia in 1626, leading to the formation of a community of Latin Catholics, commonly referred to as "French" due to the dominant nationality of the missionaries.
In 1845, under Imperial Russia, Catholics were not allowed to use the Byzantine Rite, leading many to adopt the Armenian Rite until religious liberty was instituted in 1905. Towards the end of the 19th century, some Georgian Catholics sought to return to the Byzantine Rite, and in 1918, influential Georgian Orthodox leaders expressed interest in reunification with the Holy See. However, the onset of civil war and the Soviet invasion prevented this reunification.
In the 20th century, the Catholic Church in Georgia faced persecution under the Soviet regime. In 1928, Exarch Shio Batmanishvili and his priests were arrested by the Soviet secret police, imprisoned, and subsequently murdered in 1937. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, a Latin apostolic administration was established in Tbilisi in 1993, serving Georgia, Armenia, and, until 2001, Azerbaijan. Today, the Catholic Church in Georgia continues to grow, with approximately 37,000 Catholics in the country as of 2020, mostly concentrated in Tbilisi and the southern region.
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Catholic dioceses in the US
The Catholic Church in the United States is organised into 194 or 196 particular churches, including 33 archdioceses and 143 dioceses across the 50 US states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. There are also two archeparchies and 16 eparchies in the Eastern Catholic Churches. The Eastern Catholic Churches have origins in Eastern Europe, Asia, and Africa, with distinctive liturgical, legal, and organisational systems. They are identified by the national or ethnic character of their region of origin and are considered equal to the Latin tradition within the Church in the United States.
The Catholic Church in the United States is divided into 14 geographic regions, with the Eastern Catholic Churches constituting their own membership region for USCCB proceedings. These regions typically include two or more Metropolitan Archdioceses and several Dioceses across one or more states.
The pastor of each particular church is a full member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Each archbishop—except the archbishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services—is also the metropolitan bishop of an ecclesiastical province. The Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA serves members of the US Armed Forces, the Diplomatic Corps, and their dependents, as well as those in facilities of the Veterans Administration. The Personal Ordinariate of the Chair of Saint Peter serves Catholics who were formerly Anglicans.
In Georgia, the Latin Apostolic Administration of the Caucasus was established in 1993, with headquarters in Tbilisi, covering Georgia, Armenia, and, until 2001, Azerbaijan. In 2020, 1% of the population of Georgia was Catholic, or approximately 37,000 people, mostly found in Tbilisi or in the southern region of the country.
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Frequently asked questions
There are two Catholic dioceses in Georgia: the Archdiocese of Atlanta and the Diocese of Savannah.
An archdiocese is a diocese that is considered more significant due to its size or historical significance.
The Diocese of Savannah has been led by bishop Giuseppe Pasotto since 1996.
As of 2012, approximately 1.2 million Catholics reside in Georgia.
