Evangelical Lutheran Church in Georgia

The establishment of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Georgia is associated with the settlement of German (Swabian) colonists in the Caucasus. By the end of 1818, six German colonies were established in Georgia, including Alexanderdorf (Didube), Elisabethtal (Assyria), Yekaterinenfeld (Bolnisi), and others. In the early days, the colonists built chapels, and later they built churches in the neo-Gothic style, including the famous church Kirche (architect – O. J. Simonson) in the vicinity of Marjanishvili Square in Tbilisi. However, their peaceful life did not last long – in 1929, all church property passed to the state, in 1941 (from October 15 to November 12) 23,580 citizens of German origin were deported to Central Asia, and in 1945, German prisoners of war were made to demolish Kirche. The Germans who remained in Georgia were given the right to assemble freely only in 1991. The small parish gradually grew and the Georgian Evangelical Lutheran Church was formed, which unites several parishes – Tbilisi, Rustavi, Borjomi and others. The church is headed by a bishop. It is involved in educational activities and charity. For this purpose, the Evangelical Lutheran Diaconal Society was formed in 1999. It operates a nursing home, free canteens, and provides free medical consultations.

 

Literature: რელიგიები საქართველოში, თბ., 2008.