Antimoz Iverieli

Antimoz Iverieli (1650-1716), Theologian and statesman of Romania, enlighter, writer and typogra- - pher, Metropolitan of Wallachia in 1708. Known as Andria in civilian life, he was born in Georgia. As a child, he was kidnapped and taken to Istanbul, where the Patriarch of Jerusalem saved him from slavery. The teenager stayed at the Patriarch’s Court. In addition to acquiring good education there, Antimoz mastered several European and Oriental languages. In 1680s he was invited by Constantin Brankoveanu, Prince of Wallachia. Antimoz Iverieli settled in Romania and put his efforts, knowledge and experience into upgrading Romanian culture, its literary language and book printing. He greatly contributed to developing Romania into one of the cultural centers of Europe of that time. Antimoz Iverieli set up printing houses in Bucharest, Rimnik, Tirgovisht and at Snagov Monastery. He was in charge of publishing books in Greek, Old Slavic and Arabic languages. He introduced Romanian language in divine services, which greatly contributed to the development of Romanian spiritual and secular literature.

At the same time, Antimoz Iverieli was a skilled artist: he used to illustrate and decorate the books that were published under his supervision.

Antimoz Iverieli was instrumental in founding of the first typography in Tbilisi in 1709 and in publishing of Georgian Gospel. He and his followers established close cultural relations between Romania and Georgia. A. Iverieli actively participated in the struggle for the independence of Romanian Church and State. He headed anti-Ottoman patriotic movement, which resulted in his confrontation with the Prince of Romania. A. Iverieli was captured, defrocked and sentenced to the eternal reclusion at St. Catherine’s Monastery on Mt. Sinai. The legend has it that the janissaries who were accompanying him to the place of his anchoritism, killed him and threw his body in the river.

On June 21, 1992 the Holy Synod of Romanian Orthodox Church sanctified Antimoz Iverieli and fixed September 27 as his commemoration day.