Petre Iberi

Petre Iberi (Peter the Iberian) (411-491), Theologian and philosopher, found er and outstanding representativeof Christian Neo-Platonism; In secular life he was named Murvan (according to Syrian sources – Nabarnug); he was the son of Iberian King Buzmir. Mithridate the Laz was invited from Colchis to give him a worthy education. In 423, according to the demand of Byzantine Caesar Theodosius II, Murvan was taken hostage to Constantinople, where the Caesar’s wife Queen Eudocia oversaw his tuition together with Mithridate the Laz. As a result, Murvan was provided an impressive education. While staying in Jerusalem, he mastered Syrian language. Later, in Jerusalem, Murvan and Mithridate took monastic vows and changed their names (Murvan took the name of Peter – pronounced Petre in Georgian way; Mithridate became John – Ioane in Georgian pronunciation). In 445 they were consecrated priests. In 452 Petre Iberi was appointed Episcope of Majuma (near Gaza). He unfolded immense philosophic-ideological activity; he became one of the outstanding representatives of philosophic-theological thought of late 5th century. Petre Iberi built a Georgian monastery in Jerusalem and set up the school, whose nucleus was made up of Georgians, who lived in Syria. On the basis of the data provided by the biographers of Petre Iberi, contemporary Georgian scientist Sh. Nutsubidze and Belgian scientist E. Honigmann identified pseudo-Dionisius the Aeropagite with Peter the Iberian. On the fringe of 12th – 13th centuries, Georgian Church canonized Petre Iberi.