REFLECTION OF ETHNIC AND CONFESSIONAL POLEMICS IN GEORGIAN HAGIOGRAPHY AND HYMNOGRAPHY

Abstract

Due to its geopolitical location Georgia constantly struggled against foreign tribes to protect its political and national identity and the Christian religion. Georgian hagiography and hymnography presented this problem together with the other ones and gave it the conceptual meaning. First Martyrs of the Georgian church were not Georgians. e.g. St. Queen Shushanik, St. Evstati Mtskheteli, St. Abo Tbileli. The article shows how hagiography and hymnography represent the issue of ethnicity and confession to describe and show separate saint’s icon-imagination. Following hagiographical works such as: “The Torture of St. Shushanik” by Iakob Khutsesi, “The Torture of Evstati Mtskheteli" by an anonymous author, ”The Torture of St. Abo” by Ioanne Sabanisdze, the works describing children’s torture, ”The Torture of St. Konstanti Kakhi”, ”The Torture of St.Gobroni” by Stephane Mtbevri, “The Life of St. Ilarion Kartveli”, “The Life of Grigol Khandzteli” by Giorgi Merchule and “The Life” of Mtatsmindeli Fathers are analyzed from this point of view. Hymnographic works follow after hagiographic ones step by step and don’t differ from them in this regard.