“Iviron of Athos” – the Object of Conflict Between Russian and Greek Churches and the Struggle of Georgians for Preservation of Iviron (XIX Century)

Abstract

Since the Middle Ages, Georgia was in a very close political-cultural cooperation with Byzantium, what made Georgia to be in touch with the world’s Christian center of that time - Constantinople. The manifestation of this relationship was “Iviron” of Athos [Khintibidze, 1969:27-31]. From the end of 18th century, religious-political interests of Greece and Russia had collided and “Iviron” of Athos became the subject of these interests. From the beginning of 19th century, for Russia, “Iviron” would had become a guide of Russian Orthodoxy, its cultural and political orientation in Europe.

During the Russian tsarism in Georgia, Georgian Church used to experience the most difficult processes: the abolition of autocephaly, the struggle with national self-consciousness, russification of churches and monasteries. In such circumstances, Georgian cultural centers abroad appeared in a difficult situation. From the beginning of 19th century, Georgian monasteries found themselves under pressure of Greek clergy and “Iviron” as well faced a danger from the latter. Greek and Russian Churches both began striving for incorporation of “Iviron” to them, so confrontation between them became critical. In the end, Greek Church won this “battle”. Throughout the 19th century, both sides were trying to gain control over “Iviron” using different meth, in the second half of 19th century, the struggle of the fathers of “Iviron” for the restoration of the rights over Georgian monastery on Mount Athos took place against the background of the political-religious aggression of the Russian Empire, what was really a struggle between the churches of Greece and Russia. Its first stage ended with the victory of Russia; Russia took away “Iviron” from Greeks. With the above, Russia has solved two problems simultaneously: 1. “sheltered” Georgian monks, persecuted by Greeks and enrolled them in “Rusik” brotherhood; 2. established the so-called “New Athos” In Abkhazia, thereby strengthening its positions in the Caucasus. At the beginning of 20th century, the situation changed radically due to Russian February Revolution; the Menshevik government of Georgia did not have enough strength to return “Iviron”; And, if before, Greek clergy was not able to fully master “Iviron”, the current unrest in Russia gave them the opportunity to gain full domination over the monastery, what they did without wasting time as soon as the last Georgian monk of “Iviron” died.