The Georgian Orthodox Church, with about 3.5 million believers, is one of the oldest in the Christian world — the gospel was preached here as early as the 4th century, and the people have remained faithful to the Holy Cross for centuries. The country is filled with holy sites that inspire deep reverence: Svetichoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta, ; Holy Mountain Gelati, endowment of King David the Builder where is it kept the Lord's tunic; as well as the stone monasteries of Uplitsa and Vardzia, which seem to have grown out of the rock itself. Georgia is a spiritually alive and warm country, and Orthodoxy is dominant in it and carries a great reputation. A traveler who comes with humility will certainly feel the ancient piety of the people and the grace that rests over these regions.
The Armenian Apostolic Church, the oldest state church in the world, has preserved its traditions since the 1st century, and Christianity has been their state religion since 301. The main shrine is Holy Etchmiadzin — the heart of Armenian spirituality, the place where, according to tradition, Christ himself showed where to build a temple. The monasteries of Hagapat, Geghard (with the relics of Saint John the Baptist) and Tatev shine like living monuments of the ancient faith. Armenia is a land of martyrs, confessors and deep humility — and its church is a true pillar of national identity. The pilgrim comes here as if to a spiritual cradle, where the light of the Apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew has been preserved through the centuries.
Although Orthodoxy in Azerbaijan is a minority (1-2% or about 100,000-150,000 believers), it has ancient roots in early Christian Caucasian Albania (4th–5th century), and the modern life of the community was revived through the Russian Orthodox Church in the 19th century. An Orthodox pilgrim today can visit The Cathedral of the Holy Myrrh-Bearer in Baku, the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the magnificent Church of the Archangel Michael. The communities are small, but full of devoted believers who work hard to preserve the holy liturgy in an environment where Orthodoxy is under the watchful eye of state authorities. Although calm and quietly present, the Orthodox faith here shines like a light in the Eastern world.
Christianity took root in Abkhazia in the 6th century and now has about 100,000 believers, and the country has been under the spiritual auspices of the Georgian Church throughout its history. Here is the miraculous Novi Afon Monastery, one of the most famous Orthodox shrines of the Caucasus, with the ancient cave temple of Saint Simon the Canaanite. It is especially respected Church of Saint George in Ilora, known for its beauty and antiquity. Next to them stands the old Sukhumi Cathedral. Although the church order is complicated by political circumstances, the people live their faith with deep devotion, and the shrines radiate peace and penitential silence. A visit to Abkhazia leaves the impression that the pilgrim is passing through the living history of the early Church.
Orthodoxy in South Ossetia took shape in the 9th–10th centuries, during the medieval Alan state. Although the community is small (about 40,000–45,000 believers), its faith is sincere and imbued with suffering. The most important shrine is Church of Saint George in Tskhinvali, where the people gather to celebrate the great martyr, the protector of this region. Many old village churches — although damaged by the war — still stand as silent witnesses to the faith that has not died out. Church life is pastorally linked to the Russian Orthodox Church, and the pilgrim who comes here feels most strongly the beauty of humility and pain that turns into prayer. In South Ossetia, the shrines speak more than words, and each of them calls for silent worship.
