BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 24. As previously
reported, a presentation of British filmmaker Alex
Fodor’s documentary The Cross of Stolen Churches, which explores
the history of Christianity in Caucasian Albania and the fate of
its church heritage, was held in the UK.


One of the participants in the film is Metropolitan Anania
(Japaridze) of Manglisi and Tetritskaro of the Georgian Orthodox
Church. Drawing on archival materials and historical documents, he
addresses the history of the Church of Caucasian Albania and the
fate of its heritage.


Following the release of the film, Trend spoke with Metropolitan
Anania about the fate of the Caucasian Albanian Church and why the
Georgian Orthodox Church managed to preserve its independence.


Metropolitan Anania said that one of the key factors behind the
different fates of the two churches was the role played by their
church leaders.


“The Albanian Church was unable to defend itself. The Armenian
Church did everything to appropriate the heritage of the Albanian
Church. The Georgian Church remained and continues to exist,” he
said.


According to the metropolitan, prominent religious figures
played an important role in preserving the Georgian Church, as they
were able to defend its traditions and independence.







“First of all, the reason is that the Georgian Church had great
Church Fathers, for example, Catholicos Kirion. Here I mentioned
Ekvtime Mtatsmindeli. There were such great fathers in Georgia,” he
stressed.


Metropolitan Anania also recommended studying historical
documents related to the activities of Catholicos Kirion.


“I would advise you to read the ‘Book of Epistles.’ It is a
thick book containing documents, and you will see Kirion’s devotion
and his drive, which saved the Georgian Church and Orthodoxy,” he
noted.


According to him, such spiritual leaders were not isolated
figures in the history of the Georgian Church.


“It seems that there were many such Kirions in the Georgian
Church, that is, such great Georgian church figures. It was their
selfless work — everything depends on such people — that allowed
the Georgian Church to survive,” Metropolitan Anania added.